


Where A Wasp Does Wear Its Sting

by Aurelia_Combeferre



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: 10 things I Hate About You - Freeform, F/M, M/M, Modern AU, Shakespearean AU, The Taming of the Shrew
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-09-25 11:03:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20375692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurelia_Combeferre/pseuds/Aurelia_Combeferre
Summary: Inspired by "The Taming of the Shrew" and its modern iteration "10 Things I Hate About You".Jean Valjean has a rule for his adopted daughters: Cosette cannot date till her sister Eponine does. However with both girls being different as day and night, this is easier said than done. The intrepid Marius Pontmercy, with the help of Courfeyrac, hatches a zany scheme to pair Eponine with the one guy in the Latin Quartier who cannot be intimidated: the rebellious Enjolras, a guy with quite a story of his own.





	1. To Court Her At Your Pleasure

It was no secret in the Latin Quartier that two of its fairest residents, the Fauchelevent sisters, were as different as the sun and the moon. Unfortunately, both were subject to the same edicts that kept them far away from the grasp of mortals known as men.

“I just can’t win here, with Papa being so strict and you being so _horrible! _When are you ever going to let up?” Cosette complained one evening as she and her sister were straightening up the living room of their small home on the Rue Plumet. The younger Fauchelevent girl crossed her arms over the front of her pink top. “You did not have to snap at the guys like that _again_ in the hallway!”

“You mean those catcallers?” Eponine retorted, shoving some books back onto a shelf. She pulled her strawberry blonde hair back into a ponytail before shooting her sibling an irritated glare. “None of them has business doing that, even outside of school premises.”

“You always think every guy is up to no good even if they are just saying hello,” Cosette pointed out, tossing back her dark curls. “I don’t see why you can’t just act like a normal---”

“Is everything alright here, girls?” Jean Valjean called as he entered the sitting room. The gray haired man glanced from one daughter to the other, as if already guessing what had happened. “Something happened at school again?”

“We were walking after class when she snapped at these guys in the hall—” Cosette began.

“Guys who were catcalling other girls; Musichetta was walking ahead of us and she got the worst of it,” Eponine cut in.

“They weren’t even talking to you!”

“I wasn’t about to let that slide!”

Jean Valjean sighed deeply. “It is what I always say about boys—”

“Will be boys,” Cosette finished, slumping slightly. She looked at Jean Valjean beseechingly. “But Papa, they aren’t all that bad. Just today there was this nice guy in my English class, and I didn’t give him my number, but he’s got this study group---”

Jean Valjean raised one eyebrow. “Study group? Is that what they are calling it nowadays?”

Cosette’s cheeks burned for a moment, more so when Eponine rolled her eyes unhelpfully. “No, but the point is Papa that I’m not in a _nunnery_, I’m in school and it means meeting people.”

“Meeting people and studying. You’re not there to run off the with the first boy you meet,” Jean Valjean corrected.

“I’m not going to do something that stupid, I just want to meet people, and I’m the only girl in school who isn’t dating!”

“No. Your sister isn’t dating.”

Cosette threw up her hands exasperatedly as she threw a withering look in her sister’s direction. “Eponine is a completely different case!”

Eponine put her hands akimbo. “And what is it to you?”

“Unlike you, I actually _enjoy_ human company,” Cosette retorted.

Jean Valjean rubbed his temples, more so when Eponine gritted her teeth. “Fine, we will relax the rules a little. Cosette, you can _date_\---”

“Thank you Papa!”

“I mean you can date, when Eponine does.”

Eponine’s eyes widened with astonishment while Cosette’s jaw dropped. “Papa, Eponine isn’t _normal_!”

“Normal is overrated. You’ll think differently in a few years,” Jean Valjean said before quitting the room.

Eponine held up a hand as she grabbed a worn brown book off the shelf and sat down on her favorite seat. “You heard him. I’m not the one who made the rules.”

“Yes, but it would be easier—” Cosette fumed as she plopped in her own seat. “It would be so much easier if you could just find someone to take you out, once.”

“Sure, when pigs have wings,” Eponine said, glancing up momentarily to meet Cosette’s exasperated eyes. ‘_Not like she knows what she is getting into,’ _she thought as she listened to her sister stomp out of the room.

**

Morning found Cosette still as despondent, and more than a little irritated about the evening’s events. “Just one date. That’s all she needs, then I can start having a life!” she complained to her seatmate. “I mean it’s not my fault that my sister is downright nuts.”

“There’s got to be someone out there for her somewhere,” her seatmate said. “And as for you, look who just walked in.”

Cosette sighed as out of the corner of her eye she saw a gangly figure enter the classroom. ‘_Guess I am going to have to turn down that invite,’ _she thought, managing a smile as this newcomer made a beeline for her. “Hello Marius.”

“Hi Cosette,” Marius Pontmercy greeted. He pulled his long black hair out of his eyes as he took the seat to her left. “I heard the study group is still on, the topic for today is Sonnet—”

“Uh Marius, about that….” Cosette trailed off, putting her hands on her lap. “I can’t make it. My dad is being crazy again.”

“I know, you aren’t allowed to date, but I thought that if it’s for school maybe we could still hang out and talk, after the studying is done of course,” Marius explained sheepishly.

“That would be simpler, but Dad’s got this crazy idea that I can’t date until my sister does,” Cosette explained. She bit her lip as a perplexed look crossed Marius’ face. “I’m sorry.”

“Okay, your sister has to date first, but isn’t that a pretty easy thing?” Marius asked.

Cosette’s seatmate burst out laughing. “Pontmercy, do you have any idea who her sister is?”

“Um…”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

“I mean if she’s your sister she isn’t that bad,” Marius said to Cosette furtively. “We could even make it a double date—”

The very image of going on a double date with Eponine had Cosette laughing out loud. “I can’t stand to be around her on most days, what more a _date_?” she finally choked out. “You’re going to have to go to Mars or something to find someone for her.”

“Alright class, settle down!” the English teacher Mr. Mabeuf called from the front of the room. He looked enquiringly at Cosette and her seatmates. “Is something the matter, Ms. Fauchelevent?”

“Nothing, Mr. Mabeuf,” Cosette said, managing a smile as she sat up straight. She glanced at Marius, who seemed to be deep in thought. ‘_Yeah, get in line,’ _she thought. It was only the first of several rejections she would have to make that day.

**

“Wait, you heard her right? That’s serious?”

“That’s what she said, Courf. No dating till her sister does.”

Gregory Courfeyrac laughed ruefully as he clapped Marius’ back. “My friend, you really have no idea what this means, do you? Her sister is as much a harridan as your Cosette is an angel.”

“A harridan?” Marius repeated only to be interrupted by the sound of someone yelling in the hallway. He turned to see a tall girl with a reddish blonde ponytail snatching a Sharpie out of the hands of a burly boy drawing on a locker. Before anyone could protest, the girl broke the marker and tossed the pieces into the wastebin.

“Eponine, you bitch!” the boy shouted. “It was just a joke!”

“Next time you want a canvas, try your face instead,” the girl named Eponine retorted acidly before making her way through the laughing crowd.

Marius felt Courfeyrac’s hand on his shoulder again. “And that, dear Marius, is your lady love’s sister. Eponine Fauchelevent, the shrew of the Latin Quartier,” Courfeyrac said ruefully. “I mean that guy probably had it coming, but no one likes having to wear a cup when talking to a girl.”

“I see what you mean,” Marius said, wincing slightly. Eponine was as loud as Cosette was demure, and it was difficult to imagine readily anyone who was willing to take the former on. “She’s a senior, isn’t she?”

“Well are you going to wait till she graduates?” Courfeyrac asked.

“Please, no.”

“Then if you wish to win your lady fair, you need to do something about it.”

“You mean find a guy willing to date Eponine?” Marius asked.

Courfeyrac burst out laughing. “Not that. We need to find a backer.”

“A backer?”

“Trust me, this is going to cost us quite a lot at least in terms of insurance. And you know the guy to do it.”

Marius’ eyes widened. “I do?”


	2. There’s Small Choice in Rotten Apples

“Hey what’s with the long face, Cosette? Shouldn’t you be happy about winning today’s debate practice?”

The younger Fauchelevent girl looked up from packing up her school bag and managed a smile at her debate partner. “Just the usual drama at home, Irma.”

Irma Boissy rolled her eyes as she snatched up her own bag. “Seriously, you don’t have to tell your Dad everything, and it’s not as if Eponine will always snitch.”

“Dad has some sort of sixth or seventh sense, and my sister is just weird,” Cosette pointed out. ‘_Though it could be worse; I could still be out on the streets wondering when my mother will come home,’ _ she reminded herself as she and Irma left the classroom usually assigned for after school debate practice. Although today’s debate on tariffs had been one of her better moments on a podium, it had at best been a diversion from the problem that still weighed on her mind and waited for her at home.

As they walked out to the parking lot, she suddenly felt Irma grab her arm. “Oh my God, look who’s coming this way!” Irma whispered.

Cosette looked around to see a broad-shouldered young man sauntering in their direction. ‘_No one can miss that letterman jacket anywhere,’ _she thought appreciatively as she tucked her hair behind her ears. “How do I look?”

“Like perfection,” the young man said. “As you always do, Cosette.”

“Thank you, Theodule,” Cosette replied, smiling widely. “Staying late after school?”

“I’m just hanging out,” Theodule Gillenormand said, stopping to slick back his dark blond hair. He grinned at both girls as he brought out a keychain from his pocket. “I’ve just gotten my car polished; maybe you ladies would want to take a look and maybe I can give you a lift?”

“Oh my god, is that even a question?” Irma gushed, gripping Cosette’s arm again. “Come on, let’s go!”

“Yes, yes of course we will,” Cosette said. She smiled at Theodule. “Sure. We’re headed to the mall, I hope you don’t mind.”

“My pleasure,” Theodule said, gesturing to a gleaming convertible parked a few feet away.

As Cosette followed Irma into the car, she caught sight of Eponine also leaving the school building. For a moment she saw her sister’s jaw drop, but before Eponine could do anything, Cosette shut the door. ‘_Yeah, what are you going to do about it?’ _she wondered as she buckled in.

**

Although Marius had done a great deal to manage his anxiety, there were some conversations he still made it a point to avoid on most days. ‘_Just a means to an end’ _he told himself the next morning as he and Courfeyrac waited near a bench along the school’s covered walkway leading to the gym “When you said we needed a backer, I didn’t think you had my _cousin_ in mind,” he finally said.

“Well do you know anyone else in school who is as cocky?” Courfeyrac quipped. “Or let’s be honest, who is as short a few sandwiches of a picnic?”

“Yes, and this is the same cousin who is a class A jerk?” Marius asked. It was a mixed blessing that Theodule Gillenormand did not deign to speak with him outside of the odd family reunion; it made Marius’ life under the radar rather easier to deal with. ‘_Until now at least,’ _he thought ruefully. It hadn’t taken long for him to learn through the grapevine that Theodule had brought a brand-new ride to school, and that more than one female student had been impressed by this display.

“Like I said, girls like her always go for the bad boys,” Courfeyrac said sympathetically. “It’s the same old story.”

Marius shook his head vehemently, already imagining Cosette on Theodule’s arm; somehow this made his stomach turn. “I know she’s different.”

Courfeyrac nodded ruefully. “Optimism. I like that. Listen, I’ll do the talking for this one,” he offered.

“I have the home court advantage since I am his relative.”

“Yes, but I’m the cooler one.”

‘_And I might give the game away and he might rub it in my face,’ _Marius realized. He shook Courfeyrac’s hand. “I’ll be here when he’s through with you.”

“Sure you will,” Courfeyrac said, getting to his feet and cracking his knuckles as he walked into the gym.

Marius waited a few seconds before slipping over to the gym door, which was open just a crack. Through this narrow aperture he could just see Theodule doodling on Courfeyrac’s cheek as the latter tried to talk.

“It’s not a problem that will solve itself, I mean this new rule that Cosette can’t date till her sister does. No one is going to go out with Eponine, and you’re clearly not interested in putting yourself in the line of fire,” Courfeyrac said, trying to keep a straight face. “So to make your life easier, I suggest you hire a guy to take the fall, and go out with her.”

Theodule paused with his artistic work. “Really? And who do you have in mind?”

“A friend of mine, one of my longtime buddies.”

“What, the guy causing trouble all the time?”

“The very one.”

Theodule made a ‘hmm’ sound before continuing to draw once again. “So then, what is in it for you?” 

“Well, maybe shaking on it will be fine for now,” Courfeyrac said. “It’s purely altruistic on my part, my good man.”

Theodule let Courfeyrac go and stepped back. “Fine, I will think about it.”

“Yes! You will not regret this, Gillenormand.”

“We’re done here, Courfeyrac. I’ll think about it.”

Marius had just enough time to back away from the door before Courfeyrac ran out, pumping his fist. “We’re going to do this!” Courfeyrac cheered, unmindful of the phallic drawing he now sported on his left cheek.

“Wait, you’re seriously dragging my cousin into this?” Marius sputtered.

“Hey, hey it’s going to be fine; he’s getting the short end of the stick,” Courfeyrac said, slinging an arm around Marius’ shoulders to lead him away from the scene. “While he is shelling out, you have every opportunity to get close to Cosette!”

“But he has the car, the entire jock squad---”

“Are you quite sure about this girl, really?”

“Of course I am, Courfeyrac!”

“I mean, how badly?”

Marius sighed deeply. “I burn, I pine, I perish!”

Courfeyrac clapped Marius’ back. “That’s bad, buddy. And cheesy. Just don’t go spouting that around her, I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“Poetry is the food of love,” Marius pointed out. The idea of getting Cosette out for a cup of coffee, hopefully with Theodule away, was now easier to visualize. However, one question suddenly came to mind. “So who was that guy you mentioned?”

“It’s someone we _both_ know,” Courfeyrac said with a wide smile. “Who do you know won’t back down even when the very gates of hell are staring at him.”

Marius’ jaw dropped. “You didn’t…” 

**

On most days, Alexandre Enjolras made a beeline for the school newsroom after class, if only to get away from the madding crowds in the halls. “Burning up the keyboards again?” his fellow writer Francis Combeferre called upon seeing the lanky blond make his usual entrance into the cluttered workroom not much larger than a walk-in cabinet.

“Burning them up, tearing the deadlines down,” Enjolras said as he took his seat in the far corner of the room. He opened up his laptop and gritted his teeth on seeing the time on the screen; the hour was approaching five in the afternoon. ‘_Barely enough time before my next meeting,’ _he thought as he began to type. He brought his e-cigarette out of his pocket and took a deep drag before continuing to write; it always helped him get through these writing bursts.

Suddenly a loud knock sounded on the door, followed by the sound of it nearly being slammed off its hinges. Before Enjolras could say anything to this, he saw someone standing right behind his laptop. “I need the light Gillenormand,” he said sternly.

“I’m just dropping by to say hi,” Theodule said, perching on the table. “I heard that you guys caused quite the ruckus downtown last night.”

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at this jibe, already aware of Combeferre giving them a wary look. “What are you doing here?”

Theodule brought out his phone as if he hadn’t heard Enjolras’ question. “You know this girl, Eponine Fauchelevent?” he said, pointing to a picture of a girl with reddish blonde hair, sporting an all black outfit. “I need you to take her out.”

“Take her out?”

“On a date, of course. You see their dad is rather kooky and I can’t take out her sister until she starts dating, but we all know how problematic that girl is.”

‘_Well that was unexpected,’ _Enjolras thought, but nevertheless he could not help but look at Theodule balefully. “That’s supposed to be your problem, not mine.”

“I could make it worth your while,” Theodule said. “For say, about twenty bucks a date.”

Enjolras raised an eyebrow more so when he heard Feuilly snort from his workstation. “That’s hardly a way to go.”

“Hey I know you and your buddies like my dweeby cousin are always raising funds for the folks downtown. Consider this a donation to charity, of say thirty,” Theodule said.

‘_Still goes a long way,’ _Enjolras could not help but think. He tried not to glance at his own satchel, which had a book full of accounts that were already in the red. ‘_For people worse off than we are,’ _he thought.

“Wait you’re seriously asking the Chief to take out a girl?” Combeferre repeated, now ambling over. “And you will pay him for it? You must be desperate.”

Theodule rolled his eyes. “Like you can do better? I can totally buy you and your whole neighborhood out.”

Enjolras clapped Combeferre’s back on seeing the burlier boy grow livid. “If you get out of our office since we are busy, we can leave it at thirty.”

“Yes, but I want to see results. And if they are good, I will be willing to negotiate the terms.” Theodule said, pocketing his phone only to bring out his wallet. “Payment up front?”

“Later,” Enjolras said, waving a hand. ‘_And with any luck he will forget about it,’ _he thought as Theodule quickly exited the room as if it was full of toxic waste.

Once the door was shut, Combeferre gaped at Enjolras. “Did that just happen?”

“Unfortunately it did,” Enjolras replied before taking another puff on the vape. As he pocketed the e-cigarette he saw the office door open again, this time admitting Courfeyrac and Marius. “Pontmercy, could you explain why your cousin was just here?” he asked.

Marius blushed deeply before nudging Courfeyrac. “Actually that’s quite a story,” Courfeyrac began. “You see, we were the ones who sent him up here to talk with you.”

“What?”

Marius looked down for a moment. “It’s about Cosette Fauchelevent.”

“Cosette Fauchelevent? What sort of a name is that?” Enjolras asked. “Your cousin—”

“Is going for her, but he’s the one getting led on in the situation since we set it up,” Courfeyrac finished. “Cosette and our friend Marius here are in the same English class, and normally that should be a good enough scenario except for that one familial complication. So, we got Theodule GIllenormand in on the plan so that Marius could mosey in and win lady fair.”

Combeferre shook his head. “You two are absurd.”

“He’s right. Why should I get involved with this?” Enjolras asked.

“Because Marius’ love is pure, and he’s an absolute gentleman compared to Theodule,” Courfeyrac said solemnly. “And yes, the other Fauchelevent girl is a challenge but we’re not going to leave you in the lurch on that.”

“A date for thirty bucks. That’s what Theodule offered,” Combeferre pointed out.

“Thirty bucks more than yesterday,” Courfeyrac countered. “The community center is in the red, maybe in the black. We need every buck we can get to save it.”

Enjolras gritted his teeth as he looked from Combeferre to Courfeyrac, and lastly at Marius who looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him. ‘_As it is we are already lucky to be here,’ _he thought. “The thirty bucks goes straight to the center. That’s it,” he said at length.

Marius’ shoulders sagged with relief. “I owe you a big one, Chief.”

“Just don’t do anything stupid, we’ll call it even,” Enjolras said. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Combeferre bring out his phone. “What are you doing?”

“Looking up Eponine Fauchelevent,” Combeferre replied. He frowned as he pressed the screen once, then twice. “No social media accounts. Wow.”

Courfeyrac whistled. “So she’s one of _those_. But hey, that’s why you’ve got us to dig up the must knows about her.”

“Indeed,” Enjolras muttered. ‘_It’s for a good cause, that’s all it is.’ _


	3. Thrust Myself Into This Maze

“You know, you could make so much more on the night differential here at Corinthe.”

“Yes, but try explaining that to my dad.”

Musichetta Laurain sighed as she finished wiping down the tables at the _Corinthe Gamers _while nearby, Eponine was putting the café’s collection of board games back in order. “Just tell him it’s saving up for college. Especially since he’s not going to pay for you living across the country.”

“Hence the scholarship applications,” Eponine deadpanned as she shoved a hefty box onto the lowest shelf. ‘_But with everyone applying for the same chance, what chance do I have?’ _she wondered. “I’ve told him he can worry less about funding when I move out if he converts my old room into an Air BnB.”

“And risk having someone get into his personal space, or worse your sister’s space?” Musichetta quipped.

Eponine rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Don’t remind me.” The sight of her sister and her friend Irma walking off with none other than Theodule was enough to make her stomach turn once again. ‘_Either she’s gone blind, or her asshole filter is completely off,’ _she thought as she smoothed over the event fliers tacked to the café’s bulletin board, which included a poster for a tournament the next day. “I hope tomorrow’s game goes well,” she whispered as she flicked some dust off her black t-shirt and her jeans.

“You’re the game master. Of course it’s going to be fine,” Musichetta reassured her. “Besides, they’re just kids, how difficult can it be?”

“Little do you know!” Eponine laughed. Then again Musichetta’s station in the cafe was at the counter with the food, while Eponine ran the board game tables and events; it would not do to compare apples and oranges. “Just keep them full and happy, and it will be a good game night for everyone here.”

“Got it.” Musichetta looked up and waved at two teens sauntering into _Corinthe_. “You’re both late,” she greeted. “What’s the story, Joly?”

“Sorry Chetta. Bossuet’s scooter broke down,” one of the boys, a chubby and bespectacled fellow, said as he gestured to his friend.

Bossuet merely shrugged as he removed his hat to show off his shaven head. “You’re still on shift with her?” he asked, gesturing to Eponine.

Eponine merely raised an eyebrow by way of greeting, already recognizing this pair from their frequent visits to the gaming café. Unlike her and Musichetta, these boys were not the sorts who needed to worry about after school jobs, judging by all the time they liked to spend at the food counter. “Better than forever downtime,” she said, looking straight at Bossuet. “We could always use a few game masters here, that is if you would measure up.”

“I aim to impress,” Bossuet said, gesturing to below his belt.

“Okay, not here guys! We’re closing up and the next shift will take over,” Musichetta said, recognizing the beginnings of an argument. “Let’s make it easier for Chowder and Fricassee.”

Eponine glared at the two boys guffawing at the monikers of the other girls working in the café. She grabbed her coat and her backpack and looked at Musichetta. “I’ll go on ahead?”

“Yeah, don’t let us keep you past curfew,” Musichetta said, but the look in her eyes made it clear that she would have a few words with Bossuet for his cheek.

Eponine nodded before grabbing her coat and her messenger bag, then breezing out of the café doors into the crisp late afternoon. “Dice day tomorrow, thank goodness,” she whispered before heading for the bus stop. Inasmuch as the various board games in the café were amusing, nothing for her measured up to the power of imagination from a tabletop role play. It was oftentimes the diversion she needed from the tempests forever brewing in her mind.

The respite this anticipation provided only lasted until she arrived home. From the doorway she could hear her father puttering in his study, perhaps reading while the strains of a violin sonata came from his favorite player. Footsteps from upstairs told her that Cosette too was home. ‘_And I wonder how,’ _Eponine thought as she walked up to her room to set down her things, then headed to the bathroom to wash her face.

As she splashed water on her face, she heard the bathroom door open. “You don’t have to wear that gamer girl look 24/7. Maybe you should change it up?” Cosette said by way of greeting.

It was all that Eponine could do to keep a straight face at her sister’s sickeningly pink sundress. “I work. I don’t preen,” she said, reaching for a towel.

“I’m just saying you do have potential,” Cosette prattled on. “I mean, put your hair up and maybe lose the hostility?”

“I’m not hostile, I’m annoyed.”

“Why don’t you try being nice? That would keep people guessing.”

“Like what sort of people?” Eponine asked. She sighed when Cosette gave her a withering look. “You don’t have to always be what people think you should be.”

“Well I like being liked,” Cosette said primly as she went to her own side of the bathroom counter, which was piled high with all sorts of lotions and tints.

Something about how the light fell on Cosette’s neck caught Eponine’s attention. “Where did you get that?” she asked.

“Oh this?” Cosette said, fiddling with the chain of her necklace, which had a single gold pendant in the shape of a lark. “I got it from my Mom.”

“Did Dad just give it to you?”

“No, I found it in a drawer.”

Eponine’s jaw dropped. “You can’t just take people’s things without asking.”

“I know she’s gone, and who else would she leave her stuff to?” Cosette retorted. She smiled wistfully as she fiddled with the pendant. “Besides, it looks good on me.”

“Trust me, it doesn’t,” Eponine muttered as she quit the bathroom. ‘_Leave it to her to rub it in that my mom didn’t do such a thing for me and my siblings,’ _she thought. Then again her biological parents’ style of parenting was the sort that left debt and outstanding court cases as opposed to any actual investment be it in money or emotions. She shook her head as she went to her room and sat at her desk, which had two separate piles for books and various art supplies. “Back to work,” she whispered, getting out some material for a paper to write.

**

Unfortunately for Enjolras, a little sleuthing by his friends revealed the fact that he and the mysterious Eponine Fauchelevent were in the same English class. “A fact you might have noticed if you actually paid attention instead of plotting behind your books,” Damien Bahorel pointed out the next day as he and Enjolras were at their lockers.

“Priorities,” Enjolras said dismissively as they walked down the hallway. He caught sight of Theodule with some cronies at a window, laughing and perhaps making remarks at the girls who walked by. Although he did not acknowledge Theodule, the latter nodded to him and brought out his wallet, making a show of toying with some bills inside.

Bahorel chuckled as he wiped his face with a towel handkerchief. “Hey for all you know, this girl might keep you on your toes. You might actually enjoy it.”

“To what end?”

“Does that matter?”

‘_Yes, when committing time that could actually be used elsewhere,’ _Enjolras would have said, had they not reached the door of his classroom. Upon entering he saw that most of the seats were already filled up; in fact, Theodule had one of the desks towards the back. Near the middle of the room sat a girl intently sketching on a large sheet of graphing paper. Her reddish gold hair was up in a ponytail, providing an interesting contrast to her dark blue jacket and black cargo pants. ‘_Rather different from the picture,’ _Enjolras observed quietly.

“Okay class settle down,” the teacher Blondeau said. The balding man glanced around the room. “Now what did everyone think of the poem “If”?”

One girl seated to the side of the room raised her hand. “I loved it. It’s so inspirational.”

“Inspirational, Rudyard Kipling?” Eponine, who had been sitting up straight, now turned to address her classmate. “He was a white propagandist who condoned the British war efforts, and even justified American colonialism.”

“As opposed to being a high-faluting hag who uses big words that no one listens to?” Theodule drawled, much to the snickers of his comrades.

Blondeau glared at Theodule. “Ship up or shut up, Gillenormand.”

Eponine turned to face Theodule. “I guess in this society, being a privileged male and a jerk makes you worthy of our time?” She looked at Blondeau, who was crossing his arms. “What about other voices such as Maya Angelou or Zora Neale Hurston?”

Blondeau looked straight at Eponine. “First of all, Miss Fauchelevent, thank you for your point of view. However, this is a literature class, not a soapbox for your social justice warrior rants. Now if you are done, we shall proceed with our discussion.”

Enjolras gritted his teeth even as he heard Theodule and his friends snicker while Eponine’s ears turned red for a moment. It was all he could do not to glance at either party for the rest of the class, and so he made a quick exit the moment that Blondeau dismissed the class. He saw that Eponine did likewise, quickly turning right down the hallway. ‘_Here it goes,’ _he told himself.

He walked up quickly to catch up with her. “Hello there. You got quite a lot of attention in English class today,” he said once he was in step with her.

Eponine slowed her walking just enough to give him a sidelong glance. “Yes, that was on purpose. Did you come all the way here just to tell me that?”

“Well no. I figured that we were going the same direction, so it would be a chance for some conversation,” Enjolras said, putting his hands in his pockets as he managed a smile. “If you like we can continue this after school, say at a coffee shop?”

“Yes that’s nice, but where have I heard that one before?” Eponine said, now looking at him more critically. “Do you even know my name?”

It took a moment for Enjolras to find his voice. “Eponine Fauchelevent. I’d like to think I’ll get to know more than that,” he said, only to inwardly cringe when he saw her eyes narrow further. ‘_That was wrong.’_

Eponine shook her head. “Like you actually will,” she said before heading up the stairs at the end of the hall.

Enjolras gritted his teeth as he watched her leave. ‘_There’s got to be an easier way to get thirty bucks.’ _


	4. Where Two Raging Fires Meet

Lunchtime had Marius making a beeline towards the cafeteria, where he was sure to find a friend or two. Upon his arrival he found Courfeyrac seated with another friend, Gilles Feuilly. The former was whistling with dismay. “Well what news?” Marius greeted.

“Looks like the Chief had a bad run in with she who must not be named,” Feuilly said. “Okay they are in the same class, but this was the first time they actually talked.”

It was all that Marius could do not to cringe. “How did that go?”

“As it always goes with her; the permafrost would be warmer,” Courfeyrac said. “We need to find another plan of attack.” He waved to two more boys running into the cafeteria looking like the proverbial cats that got into the cream. “What’s up, you lovebirds?”

“We’ve got the perfect plan to avenge a literary insult,” Lawrence Grantaire said, his pug face bright with mischief. He slung his arm around his more slightly built companion. “Don’t you worry, Jehan, Dumas won’t know what’s coming to him.”

Marius’ jaw dropped, recognizing the name of the school’s self-proclaimed poet laureate. “What’s going on?”

“Dumas kicked me out of the spoken word group,” Jean Prouvaire said as he adjusted his bright blue beret. “But he forgot to delete my contacts from our group chat.”

“So that’s how we came across this gold,” Grantaire explained, bringing out a much folded and creased flier. “Uptight stuffed shirt has an intellectual spank session with his buddies on Saturday night, so we decided to improve it,” he added, bringing out an identical appearing flier.

“Free Flowing Beer Party, 8:00 pm. Just be there,” Feuilly read out of the duplicate. “You don’t mean…”

“Dumas won’t know what’s coming to him,” Grantaire said. He grinned at Marius. “Feel like loosening up, or loosening up someone?”

“I’ll be there, but pass on the beer,” Marius said. He chuckled as Grantaire and Jehan got up to begin passing out the fliers all around the cafeteria. “Dumas is going to be very unhappy.”

“It hits him right where he lives,” Courfeyrac said. He clapped Marius’ back. “Hey this might be your chance to get some time with your Venus.”

“She’s not a Venus, she’s an angel,” Marius pointed out as he sat down to finally get out his brown bagged lunch. With any luck, Cosette would hear of the party by the time the day was done, and he would have an easier time broaching an invitation.

The opportunity presented itself immediately after classes, when he stopped by the library and found Cosette also there perusing some new books. “Hi Cosette. Doing some advanced reading?” Marius asked, noticing that she was in the history section.

Cosette’s eyes widened on seeing him. “Hi Marius. Not advanced reading, just matter loading. It’s something we do for debate,” she explained, holding out the political analysis book she had just retrieved from the shelf.

“How often?”

“Every three meetings. But of course we’re supposed to do this on our own time, but really there’s much else to do outside of school.”

Marius nodded understandingly. “Speaking of outside of school, are you going to Dumas’ party?” he asked lightly.

Cosette sighed deeply. “I really, really want to, but you know I can’t go until my sister does.”

“Yeah. I’m working on that, but she and my guy are just not getting along yet,” Marius explained. “She’s not—”

“Playing for the same team?” Cosette shook her head. “I’ve seen her compile pictures of some guys in Broadways plays, so I am pretty sure she’s not harboring same sex tendencies.”

“So she likes artistic guys?”

“I don’t know really. But I have heard her say that she’d rather be a nun than date a guy who smokes. Or even vapes.”

‘_Well she probably smelled all that vape on Enjolras, that might be a factor,’ _Marius decided. “Anything else?”

“Are you really asking me to go into the inner workings of my sister’s weird mind?” Cosette asked. “I don’t think so!”

“Well nothing else has worked, so we need to go in deep or something,” Marius pointed out.

Cosette bit her lip for a moment before looking straight at Marius. “Alright I’ll help you. But promise to be very quiet about this, or we’ll both be in trouble!” she whispered furtively before half dragging him to the book checkout counter. In short order the pair were at the Fauchelevent residence creeping up the stairs to the second floor.

“We’ve got to make this quick, before Dad comes home from his errands or whatever he’s up to today,” Cosette said, motioning for Marius to take off his shoes. “Bring your sneakers with you just in case someone comes.”

Marius nodded as he complied; it would not do to be caught by either Eponine, or worse, Mr. Fauchelevent. “So what is it that your dad does?”

“Business and investments. It’s complicated,” Cosette replied as she opened a door and stepped right in.

Marius’ jaw dropped as he followed Cosette into the bedroom; although he had female relatives this was the first time he had ever been in a _girl’s_ room. For one thing it was quite unlike the pink and lace interiors he had come to expect from various TV series and movies. The older Fauchelevent daughter had her room decked out in a green motif, with the walls lined with shelves full of books, quirky collectible figurines, and other sundry. Her desk seemed to be divided into two parts: one half was piled high with papers and other materials for schoolwork, while the other was full of paints and various tools surrounding what appeared to be a sort of 3D game board.

“She’s into some weird sorts of games; I know she always has at least one set of these in her pockets,” Cosette said, pointing to a box filled with an assortment of polyhedral dice. “Hey can you give me your phone? I’ll get pics of her stuff.”

“Alright,” Marius said, handing the gadget over. He stood back as Cosette began taking pictures of Eponine’s desk and bookshelves before she proceeded to open up some drawers.

“Aha!” Cosette said, holding up a black piece of fabric. “Black panties.”

“What does that tell us?”

“She wants to have sex someday, or maybe she’s even already done it.” 

Marius’ brow furrowed with disbelief. “Maybe she just likes the color.” 

“You don’t get black lingerie unless you want someone to see it,” Cosette pointed out. “At least it’s classier than red.”

“Okay then,” Marius said. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. “Could I see your room?”

Cosette straightened up from where she was getting her picture. “No. A girl’s room is…very personal,” she said primly. She handed Marius’ phone back to him. “Well, good luck with figuring her out then.”

“Thanks,” Marius said, pocketing the gadget. “I know this weekend is booked, but maybe after that we can go for coffee and music?”

“I’ll let you know,” Cosette said, shooing him out of the room and down the stairs before he could have time to put on his shoes. “See you at school, Marius!”

Out on the curb, Marius could not help but glance back at the house now and then even as he tried to put on his shoes. ‘_What else is she like outside of school?’ _he wondered bemusedly when he was finally shod and walking to the nearest bus stop. Perhaps Courfeyrac and the rest of his friends didn’t or wouldn’t see it, but he was determined to try.

It was only a fifteen-minute bus ride to the Lamarque Community Center, situated in a squat one-story building with the whitewash coming off the concrete. ‘_It’s seen better days,’ _Marius thought as he sidestepped puddles _en_ route to the center’s creaky door. From outside he could catch a whiff of the aroma of the thick stew that would be the meal for the soup kitchen’s regulars that evening. As he opened the door he caught sight of Feuilly and Bahorel helping an old woman prepare the soup in a large cauldron. Combeferre was listening to an elderly man’s regaling him with a long-winded story. Towards the back, Courfeyrac and Enjolras were trying to fasten a tarpaulin over a cracked window.

“And here comes our Don Juan! You’re late!’ Courfeyrac called to Marius.

“Just doing some research.” Marius brought out his phone and opened up the photo gallery. “Got a little insight on Eponine.”

Enjolras nodded as he brought out his e-cigarette. “What have you got?”

“First of all, she hates smoking. And that vape counts,” Marius said, gesturing to the gadget Enjolras had in hand.

“So you mean I have to quit?”

“Well, temporarily,” Courfeyrac offered. “Does she have a type?”

“Nothing specific,” Marius admitted as he began scrolling through the photos. “She’s into art or making things, Thai food, a lot of lady authors from Latin America, and also into some weird table-top role play.”

“Role play? That’s kinky,” Courfeyrac sniggered.

“I mean with these dice. You know what these are?” Marius asked, showing the picture of the polyhedral dice.

Courfeyrac groaned and put a hand over his eyes dramatically. “She’s one of those gamers who play those old-fashioned games!” He scrolled to another photo. “And apparently she works at the _Corinthe Gamers_. Joly and Bossuet are always there, and hold on---there is an event at the place tomorrow night. Session 1 of a new story: Tales from the Yawning Portal.”

Enjolras raised an eyebrow. “That’s a waste of an evening, just tossing around dice”

“She’s organizing it. You’re sure to see her. This center will survive for one evening without you,” Combeferre chimed in. “I did some intel with Joly and Bossuet, and apparently she runs some of the gaming sessions. That’s a good way to start.”

“And maybe get her to come to the party on Saturday,” Courfeyrac said. “Anything else interesting, Marius?”

“I’m not sure how relevant this is, but she has black underwear,” Marius blurted out. His eyes widened when Courfeyrac whistled, Combeferre’s jaw dropped while Enjolras merely raised an eyebrow. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Well no, but it couldn’t hurt,” Courfeyrac said. “I mean, you might get lucky Enjolras.”

“I have no intention of finding out what that means,” Enjolras said. He wiped his hands on his pants. “I’m asking Theodule for a raise on this, to keep you traitors happy,” he muttered.

“That’s the spirit!” Courfeyrac cheered. “You’re going to get her, Chief!”

**

“Roll initiative. What did you get, Gavroche?”

“Seventeen. That’s high, right?”

Eponine clucked her tongue as she wrote down this number on a Post-it stuck to the cardboard screen in front of her. “I’m sorry bro, but that’s not the highest.”

Gavroche Thenardier cringed and shook his head, before taking off his baseball cap and tossing it to the side. “You’re mean!”

“Ask the dice. Sorry, but the monsters rolled high for this encounter,” Eponine said to the five young players lining up miniature figures along a large sheet of graphing paper. “So it’s the goblins first, then Gavroche, Navet, Adrian, Henri, and last in the round is Marcel. I look forward to the finishing blow,” she said, pushing forward three small figurines in the shape of grotesque humanoids. It was not often that she got to play with her younger brother and his friends, especially since they lived halfway across town. ‘_If I’d gotten placed with him and Azelma years ago, this would be different,’ _she thought. She was sure the resemblance between Gavroche and herself would be clear even to the blindest of the gaming café’s regulars; they both had reddish blonde hair and similar lopsided grins.

Now though was no time to dwell in the past, especially when she had an adventure to run. She glanced at the clock as she rolled a twenty-sided dice on the table; with any luck she could finish this particular session within half an hour and be free to help other patrons with their games till the end of her shift. “Okay Marcel since you’re closest to the first goblin he aims an arrow at you…your armor is stronger than 12?” she clarified.

The boy named Marcel laughed. “Mine is thirteen”

“Is the arrow poisoned?” Adrian asked worriedly as he leaned forward in his wheelchair.

“Fortunately for you guys, no,” Eponine replied before rolling the attacks of the other two orcs on the makeshift gameboard. “Orc 2 rolls a 14 against Gavroche, and Orc 3 rolls an 11 against Adrian. Anyone hit?”

Gavroche exaggeratedly cringed. “You’re mean, sis!”

Eponine picked up a three-sided die and tossed it. “And lucky you it’s a scratch. 1 piercing damage,” she said. Even as she did this she saw the café door swing open. ‘_What on earth is he doing here?’ _she thought, recognizing a familiar head of blond hair. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Enjolras walked by the shelves of board games; it was impossible to miss him in his red jacket. She craned her neck to see if either Joly or Bossuet were on the premises, but somehow these two were mysteriously absent.

After a few more minutes she saw Enjolras beginning to head to their table. “You’ll have to wait for another game to start,” she said when he pulled up a chair.

“I can’t just jump in?” Enjolras asked.

“It doesn’t work that way,” Eponine said. She could see Musichetta already at the counter and trying to hold in her laughter. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Well I heard there was a beginners’ night for board games, and I thought I would give it a try,” Enjolras replied.

“Ponine, can we continue the game now?” Gavroche asked impatiently. “Maybe he can play the next bad guy if he doesn’t want to shoo,” he added, gesturing to Enjolras.

“Hey I’m willing to do that…well if someone can tell me how to,” Enjolras offered.

“The thing is it doesn’t work that way,” Eponine said. Apart from his obtrusive presence at her gaming table, there was something else rather different about him today. ‘_Doesn’t he have better things to do tonight, like post placards downtown?’ _she wondered as she saw Enjolras get up and go to the counter to peruse a menu.

Navet nodded to Eponine. “I know he’s weird but he’s a pretty cool guy.”

“Excuse me?”

“He volunteers at the center downtown.”

‘_Another bourgeois boy playing at charity,’ _Eponine could not help but think, but then again this contrasted with what she knew _of _Enjolras, the hellraiser extraordinaire of the Latin Quartier. After a while she saw Enjolras set down a plate of pasta and a large milkshake at a separate table, even as the café began to fill up. ‘_As long as he doesn’t scare off the customers, that’s fine,’ _she told herself as she continued to play.

After twenty minutes the game had ended, prompting the players to either head for the washroom or look at the other games stocked in the café. Much to Eponine’s surprise, Enjolras was still seated in the premises and had even made small talk with some of the other cafegoers. “You want me to deal with him, Ponine?” Gavroche offered.

“What are you going to do?” Eponine asked. “You boys better hurry back home before you get in trouble.”

Gavroche shrugged. “We’ve got a ride back anyway. So will you be sticking around this town next year?”

“I don’t know,” Eponine replied. “Depends on scholarships.”

“If you leave, who’s going to run our games?”

“We can always try to set up something online.”

“Not the same,” Gavroche said a little wryly. He nodded to Marcel and Henri, who were already at the door. “Gotta go! See you around, sis!” he added, going to help Navet wheel Adrian out of the café.

Eponine nodded to the youngsters as they left before turning to look at Enjolras, who was now perusing a gaming handbook. “You know that’s not the best way to learn how to role play,” she said critically.

“I was picking up a thing or two,” Enjolras said, looking up from the book. “Are you taking your dinner break?”

Eponine rolled her eyes at this question even as she gave Enjolras another once-over, trying to figure out what was different. “What happened to your vaping?”

“Junked it. Apparently there are case reports that it messes up your lungs.”

“You only figured that out now?”

“Better late than never.” He set the down the handbook. “I like this gaming system. No need for cards.”

“And what do you know about that?”

“Maybe I can find someone here who can teach me.”

“You might want to come another night. Check the calendar of events,” she said, pointing to the café’s bulletin board.

“Do you also run those? I think it’s cool that you do this sort of thing,” Enjolras continued.

“Nice try.” Eponine glanced at the clock, seeing that it was just six in the evening. “_One and a half hours for gaming,’ _she thought, looking around for other patrons in need of a game master or someone to show them how to play. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“No. Come to Dumas’ party with me tomorrow,” Enjolras offered. 

“What are you trying to pull?”

“Nothing. I’m perfectly serious.”

Eponine stared at him, wondering what to make of his words. Try as she may, she could not find anything in his eyes or even the line of his lips that could tip her off to a lie. “You never give up, do you?”

“It’s not in me,” Enjolras said. “Besides, it might be fun.”

‘_He’s out of his mind,’ _Eponine thought as she began pulling out some board games to set on the tables. “Let’s see about that,” she said as she walked off.

“I’ll pick you up at 9:00 then tomorrow,” Enjolras called after her.

“Like you will!” Eponine shot back before heading behind the counter. She saw Musichetta there, sending a message on her phone. “What’s so funny?” she asked, seeing her coworker barely able to stifle her laughter.

“First time I have seen a guy stick around this long. This is a record,” Musichetta said.

“Don’t get used to it,” Eponine muttered as she went to get a glass of water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although yes, originally "10 Things I Hate About You" had different references and trends (Kat being into all girl bands, etc.) I decided to update and change things around. This isn't the 90s after all, and who still uses CDs?


	5. Be Not So Discomfited

It did not take Cosette very long to decide that it was a good and novel thing that Theodule had taken to hanging around in close proximity to her debate training sessions. On this Friday, she found him waiting at his locker. “Cosette, I have an important question,” he said, bringing out two photos of himself in nearly identical outfits. “Which one do you like better?”

“What is this for?”

“It’s for a shoot.”

Cosette looked from one picture to another, seeing now that the only difference was that in one photo Theodule was wearing a black t-shirt, and the other one had him wearing white. “I think I like the white one better.”

Theodule glanced at the photo she had pointed out. “It’s more—”

“Polished?” Cosette offered.

Theodule nodded. “I was thinking shiny.” He set the photos aside and looked at Cosette again. “So are you going to Dumas’ party tomorrow night?”

“I think so,” Cosette said, managing a smile. “I mean at least I am thinking about it.”

“Good.” Theodule touched Cosette’s arm lightly. “Because I am not going to bother if you won’t be there.”

Something about this made Cosette feel a fluttering in her stomach. “Really?”

“Of course. So see you there?” Theodule asked, lowering his voice.

“Yeah, sure.” She willed herself to turn on her heel and walk off to her debate session before anyone could see that her smile was getting too wide. ‘_I wonder if Marius is going too?’ _she wondered but she brushed off the thought. Most likely he would be with his friends, and anyway what was that to _Theodule Gillenormand_ asking her out?

**

‘_Finally a Saturday night when I don’t have to be at Corinthe,’ _Eponine thought the next evening as she was reading in her room. This break had only happened thanks to her having covered for her workmate Chowder a few weeks ago; now the other girl was merely returning the favor on a weekend and taking two shifts. Eponine could only hope that her colleague was having an easy evening, but for her own part there was a new Allende novel to read.

She had gotten no further than the first few pages when she heard what sounded like furtive footsteps from Cosette’s room. ‘_What are she and Irma up to?’ _Eponine wondered, remembering now that Irma Boissy had also been visiting for most of the day. As quietly as she could she went to the door and cracked it open just in time to see Cosette and Irma slowly making their way down the stairs, both of them dressed to go out.

“Should have used the window.” Jean Valjean called from downstairs.

‘_Now she’s catching it,’ _Eponine thought, now making her way to the stairs to listen in as well as to get a drink of water from the kitchen. Of course she expected Cosette to attempt to worm her way out of whatever interrogation their father would have in store; this sort of thing was always a show. The trick was to get downstairs unnoticed.

“Where are we going?” Jean Valjean asked.

“Well if you must know, a small study group. For History,” Cosette replied brightly.

“Otherwise known as just hanging out?” Jean Valjean asked.

“Mr. Fauchelevent, it’s just a party!” Irma chimed in.

“And the Seine runs purple,” Jean Valjean said. He looked to Eponine, who was already at the bottom of the stairs. “Do you know anything about this party?”

Eponine shrugged as she walked to the kitchen. “Why?”

“People expect me to be there!” Cosette replied, loud enough for Eponine to hear even over the sound of filling a glass with water.

“If Eponine is not going, you’re not going,” Jean Valjean said.

As Eponine returned to the living room, she saw Cosette gape at their father, and then at her. “Why can’t you be normal?” Cosette asked irately.

“Define normal,” Eponine retorted.

“Dumas’ party is normal,” Cosette said.

“What’s this Dumas?” Jean Valjean asked.

Eponine rolled her eyes. “Dumas’ party is just an excuse for all the deadbeats of the school to get drunk and do stupid stuff as an excuse, just to say—”

“They only live once,” Irma finished smugly. “Yeah, we know.”

Cosette sighed deeply as she grabbed Eponine’s arm. “Could you forget for just a short while that you are completely antisocial, and be my sister?” she asked. “Please?”

‘_Damn it,’ _Eponine thought, putting her hands akimbo. It was just like Cosette to plead and make doe eyes to get her way. ‘_Like she did when we were little,’ _she could not help thinking.

That had not been too long ago, now that she thought about it. And there had been a time when Cosette’s sweet tactics had not worked. ‘_With my own mother when Cosette herself was the foster kid and I was not,’ _Eponine recalled. That had been a _longer_ time ago though, and the tables had turned greatly since then. Now they both had to deal with the same parent and a whole new set of rules.

Cosette looked down now, clearly at a loss. “Please Ponine, can you do this for me?” she asked more softly, yet with an insistence in her voice. “You’re the only sister I have.”

‘_Well she’s not wrong about that,’ _Eponine decided, still aware of Jean Valjean and Irma watching them. Sentiment aside, there was no way Cosette would let up until she got her way, and that would bode for a miserable evening. ‘_It’s just one evening, you can scram after a while,’ _she told herself as she looked at Cosette in the face. “Fine. I will make an appearance.”

Cosette’s eyes widened with disbelief followed swiftly by excitement as she screeched and jumped to enfold Eponine in a hug which Irma soon joined in. “Oh my god! Thank you so much!”

Jean Valjean shook his head as he rubbed his temples. “It’s starting.”

“Dad, it’s just a party,” Cosette pointed out even as Irma brought out her phone.

Jean Valjean held up a hand. “Wait here.” He disappeared into the kitchen and emerged moments later carrying a sack of potatoes. “Now I want you to hold this in front of you, and consider what it will be like to carry this in nine months,” he said, holding the sack out to Cosette.

Cosette’s eyes widened. “Dad, are you serious? You know I know better!”

“You know better than to _think_ of kissing a boy?” Jean Valjean asked, moving Cosette’s arms so that she was cradling the sack in front of her stomach.

Eponine shook her head as she picked up her keys and grabbed her jacket from its place on a coat rack. “Come on, we’re going now!” she said.

“Hold on a minute,” Jean Valjean said. “Are you borrowing the car?”

“I guess I am,” Eponine said, gesturing to Cosette and Irma.

“Alright. No drinking, no kissing, no drugs, no tattoos, no piercing, no ritual animal sacrifices,” Jean Valjean said sternly. He shook his head. “I’m giving you ideas,” he muttered.

At that moment Eponine noticed there was someone standing outside, about to ring the doorbell. Quickly she opened the door and found herself looking right at Enjolras. “What are you doing here?”

“Nine o’clock like I said,” Enjolras said, smiling at her. “I know, I’m early.”

“You are a guy of your word,” Eponine remarked bemusedly. It did help that Enjolras looked sharper than usual in a button-down black shirt and a sleeker red jacket than those he usually favored at school.

One of Enjolras’ eyebrows shot up as he got a look at what was going on behind Eponine. “What’s that, a potato baby?”

“Never mind that,” Eponine said, shaking her head. “I’m driving.”

“Alright then,” Enjolras said. “What about your sister?”

Eponine gestured to a taxi cab pulling up to the curb; judging by Cosette and Irma’s conversation behind them it appeared as if Irma had ordered this conveyance. “They’ll be fine. I’m just planning to make an early exit,” she said as she went to the garage where the family’s lone car was parked. It was not often that her father let her drive the sedan, but hopefully that would change in the near future. ‘_And maybe someday I won’t have to borrow one,’ _she thought as she slid into the driver’s seat and unlocked the door on the passenger’s side to let Enjolras in.

Dumas’ swanky home was in a nearby neighborhood, just about half an hour’s drive away. Even from halfway down the block, Eponine could already hear the music blaring from the house that was seemingly being invaded by half the student population of the Latin Quartier High School. “These idiots are going to go deaf,” she muttered as she parked the car across the street.

“Wouldn’t make much of a difference,” Enjolras remarked. “If you want to duck out, just let me know.”

“It shouldn’t be long,” Eponine said as they both left the car. She had to jump out of the way of a rowdy pack of boys skateboarding past the house, whooping and hollering heedlessly. The yard was full of students lounging about already quite deep in their cups, or drinking even more while being egged on by their friends. The front hall of the house was full of people laughing, dancing, passing around shots and glasses of alcohol, or even just hanging off each other.

“What a mess,” Enjolras said as he looked around. “This looks like a fire code violation.”

“You think?” Eponine stood on tiptoe to try to get a better view of the scene. “I don’t see my sister or her friend anywhere.”

“Maybe the view is better upstairs,” Enjolras suggested, pointing to the stairwell.

Eponine frowned at the sight of all the couples huddling and chatting on the second storey, as well as the sight of a few people who looked ready to pull a stunt on the hall chandelier. ‘_Better than nothing,’ _she decided as they pushed their way up the crowd on the stairs. Eponine sidestepped to get away from a girl who was throwing herself at anyone standing next to her, only to see Enjolras nearly get tackled by this intoxicated character.

“Hey Enjolras!” a boy called. “I don’t see a dancing sun or anything, so what brings you here?”

“I just thought I’d go for a change, Courfeyrac,” Enjolras replied over the din of the music.

The boy named Courfeyrac did a double take on seeing Eponine. “Hey, you’re Eponine Fauchelevent, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m Marilyn Monroe,” Eponine said. “Sorry, I left the white dress at home.”

Courfeyrac snorted. “You with her, Chief? She’s a scream!”

“I have to go see if Cosette is here. Excuse me,” Eponine said before making her way back downstairs. She glanced up to see Courfeyrac still keeping Enjolras from heading back down as well. ‘_Two heads better than one,’ _she decided before turning to check the living rooms.

She only got a few steps further before she caught sight of a familiar face smirking at her. “Nice. You’re looking quite pretty tonight, hot stuff,” Theodule said, getting up from his seat with a can of beer still in hand.

Eponine raised an eyebrow. “Is that a blackhead on your nose?” she asked acidly. Just as she predicted, Theodule’s eyes widened as he put a hand to his face, and this distraction gave her time to sidestep him. Unfortunately he was faster and was now in front of her again, right in the doorway to the next room. “Get out of my way.”

Theodule grinned wolfishly at her. “And where are you going?”

“Wherever you’re not.”

“Is your sister here?”

Eponine narrowed her eyes at Theodule. “You stay away from her.”

Theodule laughed before taking another sip of beer. “Oh of course I will stay away from your sister. Gentleman’s agreement. I can’t guarantee _she_’ll stay away from me.”

‘_Bastard,’ _Eponine thought but before she could say anything, someone had yelled “Fight!” from the next room, prompting most of the partygoers, including Theodule, to rush over to where a fistfight was breaking out dangerously close to some breakable curiosities. She found herself unceremoniously shoved aside in this confusion, but it was just as well for in a few moments she heard the telltale crash of somebody being flung through a window. ‘_I need to get us out of here,’ _she decided as she went to search another room.

After another unsuccessful search, Eponine stepped back out into the hall, which amazingly was still full of students just arriving. “Hey Eponine, look who found me,” Theodule called smugly.

Eponine closed her eyes for a moment before turning to see Cosette standing with Theodule, with the latter’s arm around her waist. It took a moment for the shock to wear off, even as Theodule began leading Cosette back to the rest of the party. Quickly, Eponine reached to grab her sister’s hand. “Cosette, wait!”

Cosette shook her hand out of Eponine’s grip. “Can’t you leave me alone for a bit?”

“There’s something I need to tell you—” Eponine began.

“Look, I am trying to enjoy this night out and being a _normal_ teenager,” Cosette said, taking a step back. “Why don’t you scurry off and do the same?”

“You heard her,” Theodule called, reaching out to bring Cosette with him.

“Damn it!” Eponine swore under her breath as she saw the pink of Cosette’s dress blend in with the rest of the crowd. At that moment she saw someone pass by carrying a tray loaded with shots of whiskey. ‘_I’ll show you what enjoyment is alright,’ _she thought, reaching out for a glass. She downed the liquid in one go, trying not to cough as the whiskey made its way down her throat.

Suddenly, Enjolras was at her elbow. “Eponine, what’s this?” he asked confusedly.

Eponine turned to look at him as she slammed the glass back on the tray amid the whoops of the guy serving it. “I’m getting wasted. Isn’t that what you are supposed to do?”

“Whatever happened to doing what you want to do?” Enjolras asked.

“You’re the only one who’s saying that,” Eponine retorted. Before he could stop her she had grabbed another glass from the tray. “Bottoms up?”

Enjolras shook his head. “Not doing it.”

‘_What’s he here for then?’ _Eponine wondered as she stepped away. “See you later,” she called over her shoulder as she stepped away to gulp down her drink. 


	6. Thy Virtues Spoke of and Thy Beauty Sounded

Even with Theodule’s attentions, it was difficult for Cosette to be constantly at his side considering the riotous events at Dumas’ house. “I’ll see you downstairs,” she said at one point to him when they along with Irma were at the second storey looking for beer. “It’s really too crowded up here.”

“Don’t be too long,” Theodule said, giving her a wink before turning back to chat with another friend of his.

“Ugh, wipe that grin off your face!” Irma chided Cosette as they slowly made their way downstairs past the crowd pushing upstairs. “No need to let everyone know how lucky you are.”

“What’s so wrong about it?”

“Hi Cosette!” a calm voice greeted as the girls reached the bottom of the stairs.

Cosette quickly turned to see Marius standing a few feet away. Although he wasn’t dressed as flashily as Theodule and most of the other boys, he cleaned up nicely all the same. For a moment Cosette felt her mouth go dry. “Oh, hi Marius,” she said when she found her voice again. She nudged Irma forward. “You know my friend Irma?”

“Yeah. We have trig together,” Marius said affably.

“Sure,” Irma said disdainfully before giving Cosette an annoyed sidelong look. “Where did you get this one?”

Marius flushed red for a moment before looking at Cosette. “So um, you look beautiful tonight,” he said.

_Beautiful_. Cosette paused, not sure what to say to this unexpected compliment. “Thank you,” she said, feeling warmth also rise to her cheeks.

“And we all know that I am a looker too,” Theodule said from the stairway. He sauntered down and nodded to Marius. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Yeah, well I am,” Marius said, managing a polite smile.

“Come on let’s go. We’re causing traffic,” Theodule said, slipping an arm around Cosette’s waist. “I’ve got something to show you.”

Cosette looked back, unable to do much more thanks to Theodule’s arm around her middle. “I’ll see you around, okay?” she said to Marius.

“Yeah, sure,” Marius replied. Despite these words, the dismay was unmistakable on his face.

“Let’s not spoil the night,” Theodule drawled as he led Cosette back into the crowd. “How do you know him anyway?”

“We have English together.”

Theodule scoffed. “Always such a stiff one.”

Cosette shrugged. “So whatever happened to that shoot you were asking me about yesterday?” she asked, eager to change the subject.

“That? It’s for the yearbook,” Theodule said, putting his arm tightly around her shoulders. “We need to get it right, for posterity’s sake.”

“Who’s we?”

“Why me and the guys of course.”

Cosette snorted. “I don’t think anyone really _looks_ at the yearbook that way.”

“They will now,” Theodule said, striking a pose with his arms akimbo. “You see what I did?”

“Um….”

“That was my victory pose. One of the best, I’ve been told.”

“Ah I see,” Cosette said. Frankly it didn’t look that much different from the posturing she’d seen him do over the past few days.

“Now I’ll show you another one.” Theodule did an almost identical pose, but with just the slightest raise of his eyebrow. “That’s my aggression pose. Did you see the difference?”

Cosette bit her lip. “Honestly---” she began before Theodule turned to strike another pose for more admirers watching nearby. ‘_Is he really going to do this all evening?’ _she wondered as she went off to find something less potent to drink.

Even after she returned from locating one of the few bottles of water in the house, Cosette saw that Theodule was still caught up with posing and preening for the crowd. Irma would be of no help, having found another interesting guy to talk to. ‘_And there’s Marius,’ _ she thought, catching sight of him once again in the living room, but his brooding countenance did not seem promising for any conversation at the moment.

At last she saw Irma drift away from her own conversation. “Is it me or is this party not all it’s cracked up to be?” Cosette asked, gripping her friend’s arm.

“Really? I don’t see a problem,” Irma pointed out, taking a sip from a glass.

Cosette sighed, unsure how to explain how the previous minutes had transpired. Before she could say anything, a cheer came from one of the other rooms. ‘_Oh no,’ _she thought, seeing a familiar figure now dancing on one of the tables.

“Is that…” Irma began, seeing the source of this commotion.

“She’s totally lost it,” Cosette murmured in disbelief. It was bad enough seeing Eponine twirl and gyrate in her obviously very drunken state, but it was much worse when this was in the sight of much of the school, including Theodule himself. In fact, Theodule was one of those hollering in the very thick of it all. ‘_I have to get out of here,’ _Cosette thought, unable to watch any more of this. Quickly she slipped towards the front door and out of the house.

The cool night air that suddenly greeted her was enough to clear away the fumes of alcohol and smoke, and Cosette felt her building headache abate somewhat. ‘_Maybe Dad was right,’ _she could not help thinking as she found an unoccupied lawn chair. And perhaps, as much as she hated to admit it, Eponine did have a point in her assessment of what these parties were.

Cosette glanced at her watch and saw that it was close to eleven in the evening. ‘_Where is Irma?’ _she wondered, knowing that her friend had the cab fare back to their area. At that moment she saw Theodule, Irma, and some other students emerge from the house. “Hey guys,” she greeted.

“We’re going to get a bite to eat downtown,” Theodule said. “You want to come?”

Cosette tapped her watch. “Sorry, I have to be home by eleven.”

“I don’t have to be home till two, or later,” Irma giggled.

“Are you sure?” Theodule asked. “One more chance.”

“I really can’t. Not now,” Cosette said. ‘_Besides I have to get home and do some damage control, before Ponine does,’ _she thought.

Irma smiled coolly. “That’s a shame. You’re missing out.”

Theodule grinned and offered his arm to Irma. “Come on let’s go.”

Cosette’s eyes widened. “Irma—”

“Hey, next time!” Irma called over her shoulder as she and Theodule went to where some cars were parked.

Cosette watched in disbelief, wondering if Irma would relent at the last minute, until she heard the engines revving. “How nice,” she muttered before looking around for any friendly face who could give her a lift back, especially since having her sister drive was out of the question.

She then saw Marius also leaving the house, looking just as dejected as he had earlier. He nodded to her. “Did you have fun?”

“So so,” Cosette admitted. She could feel her cheeks burning at what she would have to ask, considering the slight she’d committed earlier that evening. “Hey Marius….” She smiled weakly as he turned to face her. “Do you think you could please give me a ride home?”

**

Even with all his experience dealing with crowds, Enjolras found it nigh impossible to keep an eye on Eponine at all times. ‘_First things first,’ _he decided as he went to where Grantaire and Jehan were performing a ribald piece in one room full of drunken spectators. “A word with you,” he said to Grantaire.

Grantaire grinned widely as he embraced Enjolras. “The Chief finally loosens up!” he crowed. “Hey everyone—”

“Not another word, Capital R,” Enjolras said more sternly. “I know why you and Prouvaire did this. Isn’t this beyond petty revenge?”

“We’re upgrading from wine and song to spirits and dance!” Grantaire said. “Come on, it’s not like we do this every night.”

“For the sake of your livers, don’t,” Enjolras replied. ‘_Of course they’ll be pestering Combeferre and Joly with hangover cures tomorrow,’ _he thought as he went back to search for Eponine. He found her in the front hall, with yet another glass in hand. “Hey Ep, can I have this one?” he asked, reaching for the drink.

Eponine brushed him off. “No, I’m fine,” she said before ducking into the next room.

Before Enjolras could follow her, he felt a hand clap his back. “Enjolras! How did you do it?” Theodule asked enthusiastically.

“Do what?”

“Get the witch to act like a human?” Theodule chortled. He hollered as he ran into the next room. “Alright! Go! Go!”

Enjolras turned to see Eponine already atop a table, throwing her jacket to the floor and beginning to dance. ‘_This isn’t good,’ _he realized as he went over to stand next to the table, all too aware of the cheering and leering crowd at the scene. There was something wild and entrancing about the way her long hair whipped every which way as she moved, almost as lovely as the curves of her slim body. Suddenly he heard a rather loud thud and looked up to see Eponine suddenly stumble on the edge of the table. He quickly caught her as she fell backwards right into his arms, amid the shouts and hollers of the spectators.

“Are you okay?” Enjolras asked, shaking her slightly as he propped her up.

Eponine groaned as she regained her senses. “I’m fine!” she exclaimed only to lose her footing again.

Enjolras shook his head. “You’re not fine. Let’s go,” he said as he kept an arm around her waist to prop her up.

Eponine winced as she rubbed her head. “I just need to lie down somewhere.”

“This is no place to pass out,” Enjolras said more firmly as he led her to the rather less congested front porch. He unceremoniously set her down in a chair. “Here, sit.”

Suddenly Marius walked up. “Hey Enjolras, can we talk?”

Enjolras gestured to Eponine. “I’m a little busy now.”

“Just a moment,” Marius said. He motioned for Enjolras to step a little away from Eponine. “Sorry, the deal is off. All of it,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“She never wanted me,” Marius explained. “All she wanted was my cousin.”

Enjolras shook his head in disbelief. “Marius do you really like her?”

“Well yes.”

“And do you think she’s worth it?”

“I thought she was, but I-----”

‘_I can’t believe we’re having this discussion,’ _Enjolras thought as he looked Marius in the face. “Either she is or she isn’t. But from what I have seen before and also tonight, Theodule is not even a fraction of the man you are. In whatever case, you have to make up your mind and be straightforward with her.”

“But how?” Marius asked.

Before Enjolras could muster a reply, he saw Eponine lean dangerously and almost fall out of her seat. “I’ll get back to you on that. Or better yet, ask Combeferre,” he said as he grabbed Eponine and slung her arm over his shoulder.

Eponine tried to shake herself loose as they made their way across the street. “I don’t need you to baby me.”

“You’re in no state to be walking, much less driving,” Enjolras said sternly even as at that moment Eponine pulled away and stumbled to the ground. “Ep, wait,” he muttered as he tried to catch up with the girl who was crawling up a grassy bank.

“You don’t really care if I fall down drunk,” Eponine slurred. “I could choke on my vomit and you wouldn’t mind.”

“No. I’d actually have to start dating girls who like me then,” Enjolras pointed out as he helped her onto the nearest seat, which happened to be a swing.

Eponine snorted. “You know what they say about you? Mister ‘Look Do Not Touch’.”

“Really now?” Enjolras asked, only to have to steady Eponine when she nearly toppled off the swing. “Hey, take it easy there.”

Eponine laughed as she tried to sit up straight, only to have to resort to holding onto the swing’s ropes. “Clumsy me,” she muttered as she took a few deep breaths.

He watched her for a minute or two, waiting to see if the glazed look would clear from her eyes. After a while he saw her begin to sit up straight. “So why did you let him get to you?” he asked.

“Who?”

“Theodule.”

Eponine shook her head. “I hate him.”

“Well you’ve chosen a perfect revenge,” he pointed out. “Me wanting to kill him.”

She snorted. “Never thought you were that type of guy.”

“What do you mean?” Enjolras asked, only to have Eponine nearly fall off the swing again. “Ep, wake up, don’t fall asleep,” he said as he went next to her to shake her awake.

Eponine blinked before looking up at him blearily. “Your eyes…I didn’t know they were that blue,” she said, smiling slightly as she leaned into his hand. Suddenly she went pale and retched, bringing up the contents of her stomach all over the ground. “Ugh.”

Enjolras sighed and rubbed the top of her head until Eponine finished vomiting. “Guess it’s time to get you hydrated,” he said, remembering now something that Combeferre had to say about preventing hangovers.

“How? Can you even drive?” she asked.

“Would it surprise you that I’ve got my license?” he said as he helped her to her feet. It took a few minutes to maneuver Eponine into the front passenger seat, so that they could make their way to the nearest convenience store for some water.

The clerk manning the register at the convenience store simply gave Enjolras and Eponine a knowing look. “Ending a night out?” he asked sardonically as he punched up their bottles of water.

“Wouldn’t you know it?” Eponine asked, quickly opening up her drink then and there. She drained half the bottle’s contents in a matter of seconds. “This guy did the smart thing to work tonight. Maybe I should have worked too.”

“Now that you mention it, why weren’t you working at _Corinthe_ tonight?” Enjolras asked as he also opened up his drink.

“Switched shifts with a friend,” Eponine said with a shrug as they went back to the car. “Thought I would spend a night home making minis.”

“Minis?”

“You know, those figures we use for games.”

“Ah,” Enjolras said, remembering now what he had seen the night before. He waited for Eponine to buckle herself in before speaking again. “So why Dungeons and Dragons?”

“Started off for fun, when I was a freshman,” Eponine said, smiling a little more widely as Enjolras started the car. “Guess you could say it was an escape.”

“From what?”

“You know. High school. Life.”

Enjolras nodded as he put both hands on the wheel. “And those kids who were playing?”

“One of them is my brother.” Eponine pointed to her nose. “It’s telling.”

“Your brother?” It took a moment for Enjolras to recall that one of the boys at that table also had reddish blond hair and other unmistakable features. “So…”

“He and my sis Azelma got adopted quickly. I was stuck in foster care for longer, and you could say I missed my chance.” Eponine sighed deeply. “That was a long time ago. But the game is to him and his friends now what it was for me then. An escape.”

“Like for that kid in a wheelchair?”

“You mean Adrian? Yeah him.” Eponine leaned back in her seat. “Same for the other boys; they’ve got their issues too. Other players come to take a vacation from the world, and I get in with them. When they play, for a while they can be the heroes running around and changing a world or at least getting loot. For a while, the stuff that happens to them elsewhere doesn’t really matter.”

‘_Sometimes that’s the best people can do, if they can’t confront things head on,’ _Enjolras reminded himself. At the very least, he had to admit that Eponine’s personal escape was more constructive than say Grantaire’s. “I think it’s great what you’re doing at _Corinthe,” _he finally said.

“Really?” Eponine asked, looking at him doubtfully. “Most people think it’s weird.”

“Why should it stop you from doing good?” Enjolras asked.

“Says Mister I Want to Change the World. Yeah I know what you do, or are trying to do when you’re not being a pain in the ass at school.”

“Really now?”

“Word gets around.”

“Better than doing nothing and just watching the world burn,” Enjolras pointed out.

“Yeah,” Eponine murmured. She sighed as they pulled up in front of her home. “Thanks for bringing me and the car back.”

“No problem.” He gave her a once over as he parked the car. “You sure you’ll be alright? Your dad won’t flip?”

She shrugged. “He’s just overprotective.”

“Why so?”

“It’s a long story, but it does have to do with Cosette and _her_ mother.”

Enjolras raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Dad doesn’t like to talk about it. Something there.” Eponine shrugged before looking at Enjolras. “I don’t want to pry. Sometimes I think he would feel better if I was more like Cosette.”

He took a deep breath, recalling how Cosette had been earlier that evening. “I know what they say about your sister too, but you know what, I think that you’re an amazing person.”

She looked at him for a long moment, as if weighing his words, till a small smile tugged at her lips. “You know, you’re not as vile as I thought you were.”

Enjolras pulled the keys out of the ignition, but when he turned to hand the keys to Eponine, he saw that she was leaning in as if expecting a kiss. ‘_Not like this, when she is drunk,’ _he resolved. He shook his head and put the keys in her hand. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

Eponine’s eyes shot open as she looked at him and the keys in her hand. She gave him an affronted look before getting out of the car and slamming the door.

“Ep!” he called after her, but she was already entering the house. ‘_Did I do something wrong?’ _he wondered as he got out of the car and began his own long walk home.

**

For the entire drive to the Fauchelevent house, Marius could not find the words to say to Cosette, other than to ask for directions. It was only when he parked his car that he finally could bring himself to look at her. “You never wanted that coffee date, did you?” he asked.

Cosette put her hands in her lap. “Yes, I did.”

Marius shook his head. “No.”

Cosette sighed and slumped slightly. “Okay, maybe I wasn’t super game about it.”

“That’s the thing, you could have just said you just didn’t want to go,” Marius pointed out. “I would have taken that over…” He trailed off, unsure how to properly phrase the hurt and betrayal he felt. ‘_Why did I even do this?’ _he asked himself.

“Most guys just want to hang out and go,” Cosette said after a long moment. “It doesn’t usually mean anything.”

“But it does mean something, to me. That’s why I asked you out, because I wanted to date you. Not just chill with you and lead you on,” Marius said, now unable to stop the words. “I really like you. I defended you to my friends or to people when they called you vapid because I saw that you’re not that way. I keep a seat out in the English study group since I know you should be in it, and---” he continued before he suddenly felt the warmth of Cosette’s lips on his.

Her kiss was tentative and shy, as if she had never kissed before, so Marius found himself kissing her back with a desperation he had never known before. Cosette pulled away after a few more moments, and she gave him a shy smile. “Good night Marius,” she said as she opened the car door and stepped out.

“Good night Cosette,” Marius said. He saw her look back for a moment as she walked to the house, and he could tell that she was smiling, perhaps even blushing too all the way till she disappeared behind the front door.

He looked around, wondering if they had been seen, but all he could see apart from the darkened street were the stars twinkling overhead. “And I’m back in the game!” he shouted joyously before driving off.


	7. I Should Speed Amiss

Even if Sunday morning brought a terrible hangover to Eponine, it was nothing to the dread she felt over returning to school the next Monday. ‘_Why lead apes in hell when there are already enough here?’ _she thought as she walked to her English class that day.

Of course, the moment she opened the door, most of the males in the class began chuckling, giving each other high-fives, or leering in her direction. “Hey Eponine, how much do we owe you for the table dance?” Theodule said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

‘_Asshole,’ _Eponine thought, making sure that the heel of her boot made contact with Theodule’s patent leather shoe as she sat down. She buried her head in her hands as she waited for the rest of the class to settle down. ‘_And then there’s Enjolras,’ _she thought, aware now of the blond also sitting a few rows away. ‘_Of course he would be repulsed by you drunk and throwing yourself at him,’ _she told herself.

Blondeau soon took his place in the front of the room. “Now not that it’s anything to me, but how was everyone this weekend?”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe we should ask Eponine?” Theodule sniggered.

“Unless it involved knocking some sense into you, I don’t want to hear it,” Blondeau snapped. “Now, open your books to page 73, Sonnet 141.”

Eponine quickly located the page in her textbook, and looked up to see Blondeau connecting his phone to a pair of speakers. The cadence of a beat box suddenly filled the air as the teacher began to recite to the beat: ‘_In faith, I do not love thee with mine eyes, For they in thee a thousand errors note; But 'tis my heart that loves what they despise, Who in despite of view is pleased to dote.” _

Blondeau grinned as his students stared on in wide eyed astonishment. “I know Shakespeare has been dead several centuries, but he knows his stuff. Now for your next assignment I want you to write your own version of this sonnet.”

Eponine’s hand shot up amid the groaning and mumbling of most of the class. “Do you want us to write this in iambic pentameter?”

Blondeau looked at her querulously. “You aren’t going to object to this assignment?’

“No, I think it’s a good one,” Eponine said, aware of Blondeau’s skeptical look.

“Well you can read up on the conventions for sonnets. I’m not going to spoon feed them to you,” Blondeau replied snappishly. “And all works have to be original; I will know if anyone is going to pull off a Cyrano de Bergerac,” he added, looking to some of the people in the back row.

‘_Now what to write about?’ _Eponine wondered as she quickly browsed through the section on sonnets. She knew of course that people expected her to write a tirade or full on rant, but this was not something she wished to commit to verse. ‘_It will probably come at the last minute,’ _she told herself as class went on. Despite all her attempts at concentration, it was incredibly difficult to focus what with Theodule snickering over his phone, or with Enjolras being impassive. In fact, the whole hour of class was torturous, such that Eponine was only too happy to grab her things and storm out into the hallway.

She found Musichetta leaning by her locker, avidly conversing with Joly and Bossuet. “Hey Eponine. Is everything okay?” Musichetta asked.

“Peachy,” Eponine said, opening her locker. She glared at Joly and Bossuet. “Not another word from you two.”

“Well we were worried; meaning all three of us,” Musichetta cut in.

“Not just us, but even the Chief. It was good that he brought you home that night,” Joly said.

Eponine rolled her eyes at the recollection of what had happened after the party. “He was only doing it to be polite. He made that pretty clear.”

“What do you mean?” Bossuet asked.

Eponine slammed her locker shut. “Either he’s just a pretentious stuck up guy, or he’s dense. Not that it matters.”

“Wait, did Enjolras actually say he didn’t like you or something?” Musichetta asked, holding up a hand.

“Not in those words.” Eponine sighed as she looked at the trio. “He didn’t look at me or say anything in English class just now anyway.”

Musichetta, Joly, and Bossuet exchanged knowing looks even as the bell rang signaling the next class period. “This is Enjolras we’re talking about after all. See you ladies at _Corinthe,” _Joly said cheerily before he and Bossuet walked off.

“Boys will be boys, and I don’t mean that in the godawful way,” Musichetta pointed out as she and Eponine headed in the other direction for their next class. “But hey you didn’t have to suffer through that party alone, right?”

“Next time, I am simply sticking with all my weekend shifts,” Eponine declared. “Less complicated that way.”

“Famous last words, Eponine.”

**

“Wait, what did you do to her?”

Enjolras shook his head before looking again at Marius as they were seated on the bleachers near the school’s athletics field. “Nothing. I wasn’t going to do anything while she was drunk.”

“That’s very good of you, but it doesn’t explain why she now hates your guts again,” Marius pointed out. “I mean this plan was working.”

“I thought you wanted out?”

Marius could feel the heat rising to his face. “Yeah but that was before she kissed me.”

Enjolras raised an eyebrow. “Where?”

“In the car.” The recollection of Saturday night had Marius smiling more widely than before, until he saw Joly and Bossuet hurrying up to them. “Hey what’s going on?”

“We got to talk to Eponine and Chetta,” Bossuet explained. “And yes, Eponine is definitely not happy.”

“’Either he’s just a pretentious stuck up guy, or he’s dense,” Joly said. “That’s a direct quote by the way.”

Marius’ jaw dropped as it dawned on him what might have just transpired. “So you basically gave her the impression that you didn’t want her, when she seemed interested?”

“She was drunk,” Enjolras reminded him. “Very drunk.”

“Yes, but you know _in vino veritas,” _Joly said. “Okay it probably wasn’t wine that she was drinking, but you get the general principle.”

“The point is that there was some miscommunication, and it can be sorted out,” Marius said exasperatedly. “I mean you guys are in the same class---”

“I’m giving her time to cool off. And for people to stop yapping,” Enjolras said. “Maybe a day should work.”

Just then a football suddenly landed in the midst of them. All the boys turned to see Eponine a good way off, glaring at them before she stomped off. Marius sighed and rubbed his temples with his hands. “Maybe make it two,” he said before grabbing his bag to head to his next class.

As luck would have it he saw Cosette about to enter the field, already wearing her PE uniform. ‘_She’s the only one who could make it look cute,’ _he could not help thinking. He smiled at Cosette. “Hi. Nice to see you, Cosette.”

“And you too!” Cosette greeted with a bright smile that definitely reached her eyes. “You don’t have PE now?”

“Not this period,” Marius said. “Hey since I know you have debate training later, maybe we can still discuss English during study hall this afternoon?”

“At the library? Sure,” Cosette replied. She glanced over to where the PE teacher was calling for her class to assemble. “See you later Marius.”

‘_Definitely,’ _Marius thought, feeling now as if he was walking on air.

**

Cosette knew too that she was smiling very widely as she lined up with her classmates for their PE class warm up. She saw Irma staring at her as if she had two heads, but she shrugged it off. ‘_Not that you would know.’ _

In the middle of the warm-up, she saw Theodule sauntering up to their group. “You’re breaking a sweat, considering it’s gym class,” he said casually.

“It’s called a warm-up for a reason,” Cosette replied. “What are you here for?”

“I want to talk to you about prom,” Theodule answered.

‘_That’s in two weeks?’ _Cosette wondered silently as she shrugged. “You know the deal. I’m not going if Eponine is not.”

“Oh, your sister is going,” Theodule said nonchalantly.

“What? Since when?”

“Let’s just say I’m taking care of it.”

Before she could ask Theodule about what he meant, the PE teacher yelled at him to get off the playing field. ‘_I wonder when Marius is going to get a clue?’ _Cosette thought as she fell back in line.

**

“That’s two hundred for the tux and the limo rental. Just make sure she gets to the prom,” Theodule said, clapping Enjolras on the shoulder during lunch that day.

The sight of the two crisp bills between his own fingers was enough to make Enjolras’ stomach turn. “You know what, I’m sick of your little game,” he said, pushing the money back into Theodule’s hand.

Theodule shook his head as he brought out his wallet. “I’ll make it three hundred, so you have a little extra for that charity of yours.”

“Community development,” Enjolras said through gritted teeth as he took the money. ‘_This is definitely going into the center fund today,’ _he decided. After all there were still the repairs that had to be made to the insulation before the summer heat got unbearable.

That however did not address how he was to deal with Eponine, even for the purposes of being civil. ‘_Though being more than civil with her would be nice,’ _Enjolras had to admit. If for anything, it seemed that Eponine had much more going on than obsessing about boys, clothes or the upcoming prom that month.

He had the opportunity to ponder this a bit more after class when, while on an errand downtown, he saw Eponine through the window of a crafts shop. Inside, she was flipping through a large book of instructions and patterns for 3d printing. ‘_Probably to use the printer at school, for her minis,’ _Enjolras realized. He swallowed hard before stepping into the establishment. “Excuse me, would you know where the paint section is?” he asked.

Eponine looked up from her reading. “What are you making, another paint bomb?”

“Something constructive,” Enjolras replied. He gritted his teeth again when he saw her turn back to his reading. “You can really hold a grudge, Ep.”

“Something got through your cranium,” Eponine said, slamming the book shut. “Don’t you have some march to chase or lead today?”

“Not today, and today is the operative word.” He took a deep breath when she put her hands akimbo. “Listen, about Saturday night…”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Enjolras. You made yourself clear enough,” she said, looking up at him. She set the book back on the shelf. “Not as if it matters to me.”

“Your attitude today says otherwise. Clearly I’ve gotten you in a twist.”

“Don’t think that you had any effect whatsoever on me.”

Enjolras raised an eyebrow. “The evidence would say otherwise.”

Eponine glared at him. “You’re conceited. Excuse me,” she said before quickly walking out.

‘_That’s a closed door,’ _Enjolras thought as he watched her leave, knowing better than to chase her. Part of him just wanted to give back the money to Theodule then and there, but the thought of what awaited him at the center had him holding back. ‘_Time to ask Combeferre about this,’ _he decided before heading out in the direction of the Lamarque Community Center.

When he arrived, only Combeferre, Feuilly, Marius, and Courfeyrac were around. “Regulars aren’t in yet,” Feuilly said. “What happened to you, Chief?”

“Had a run in with Eponine,” Enjolras explained. “And yes, she’s still angry.”

“You did try to reason with her?” Courfeyrac asked.

“She won’t give me the opportunity to,” Enjolras said. “And she’s like on this track---”

“Which you have to stop if you want to get her to listen,” Courfeyrac cut in. “She’s pissed off but you got to distract her from it and make her think something else of you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Put yourself on the line,” Combeferre chimed in. “Do something that will get her to definitely realize that you are the honorable guy you are.”

“And how am I to do that?”

“We did give you the intel on her,” Marius said. “I mean how hard can it be?”

‘_You have no idea,’ _Enjolras thought. He noticed the ledger his friends had open. “What’s that?” he asked.

“Well a big donation came in today,” Combeferre said. “From a certain M. Madeleine.”

“The anonymous one?”

“Yes. Just waiting for the accountant to sign for it.”

‘_Will wonders ever cease?’ _Enjolras thought as he put down on the table the money that Theodule gave him. If he was going to catch Eponine’s attention again, he was going to do it on his own steam, and he had just the plan to do it.


	8. Some Comet or Unusual Prodigy

There were some days that not even the best class discussions could alleviate Eponine’s foul mood, and only soccer practice would do the trick. ‘_You need to hand it to endorphins,’ _she decided as she jogged around the school pitch. On days like this, only the ball and the team mattered, and she could take her mind off schoolwork, the goings on at Corinthe, or even setting up her next gaming session with Gavroche.

‘_And then there’s Enjolras,’ _she thought but she shook her head to chase away the memory of their last infuriating discussion. Granted, he had been decent enough to keep her out of harm’s way, but the fact still stood that it was decency and nothing more in the way of interest or even friendship. ‘_He probably wouldn’t even bat an eyelash if a sober girl threw herself at him,’ _the thought occurred to her.

“You okay there Ponine?” Musichetta called from nearby as she sidestepped a trombone left lying around by some school band members lounging on the grass. “You’re drifting off again.”

“Got a lot on my mind,” Eponine said, wiping her hands on her shorts.

“Hey if you teach me how to run an RPG, I can cover for you sometimes at work.” 

“Well, take the time to create a character, and we can get started.”

“Fauchelevent! Laurain! Time to hustle here!” the PE teacher hollered.

Eponine nodded as she hurried over to her place in the practice line. As she kicked a ball to the right, she heard a click coming from the field PA system. “_You’re just too good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you,” _a voice crooned from someplace on the field.

‘_That cannot be….’ _Eponine thought as she looked around for the culprit. Her jaw dropped as she caught sight of a tall figure in a red jacket and holding a microphone, sliding down one of the poles holding up a speaker. ‘_What has gotten into you, Enjolras?’ _she would have asked if she could find her voice.

“_At long last love has arrived. And I thank God I'm alive. You’re just too good to be true,” _Enjolras sang as he walked onto the bleachers. He pointed at Eponine and the smile that spread across his face had her feel like her heart fell into her stomach. “_Can’t take my eyes off of you.” _

At that moment a whistle came from the band conductor, prompting the band members on the field to march as they played their instruments. Enjolras jumped down one level on the bleachers before singing again. “_I love you baby, and if it’s quite alright. I need you baby, to warm my lonely nights.” _This time when he pointed towards Eponine, it was unmistakable who this unexpected serenade was for. “_I need you baby, trust in me when I say---” _

Enjolras quickly jumped down one more step, now catching sight of the school security guard lumbering onto the bleachers. “_Oh pretty baby, don’t bring me down I pray. Oh pretty baby, now that I’ve found you, stay.” _He sat down so that he was looking right at Eponine. “_And let me love you baby, let me love you---” _

Amid all the laughter and cheers from the pitch, Eponine could only smile and nod even as she felt a blush creeping up to her cheeks. ‘_Alright, alright you’ve made your point, you dork,’ _she thought, unable to hold back a chuckle as she watched Enjolras spin and leap out of the clutches of the two security guards trying to grab him. He dashed up and down the bleachers before running pell mell as a third guard appeared on the scene.

Musichetta elbowed Eponine. “How’s that for a grand romantic gesture?”

Eponine shrugged as she saw the guards dive after Enjolras near the sound booth; judging by the scuffle there they had just managed to collar him. “Well I guess I have to do what I do best.”

“You don’t say…”

***

Although Enjolras was no stranger to detention, it was the first time he had been sent there for something unrelated to disturbing the peace. ‘_But at least no one got a video of that,’ _he noted as he rested his head on his arms to avoid the notice of the detention watcher, a portly teacher named Tholomyes.

Tholomyes’ beady eyes roved up and down the rows of students hunkered over their books before stopping at a boy sitting in the front row. “Hello Montparnasse. You’re sweating.”

Montparnasse looked up sharply, creasing the lines of his tight clothes. “Yes sir,” he muttered in a surly voice.

Tholomyes leaned in closer. “You’ve got pot, don’t you?”

Montparnasse’s lip curled as he shoved a plastic bag at Tholomyes. “It’s medicinal.”

“I’m confiscating this for the meantime,” Tholomyes said. He stopped in front of another desk and grabbed a small pack of chips. “This too.”

‘_No secret where he’s hiding that,’ _Enjolras thought as he watched Tholomyes return to his desk at the front of the room. As he rested his head back down on the desk he heard the door open and then shut.

“Mr. Tholomyes, have you got a minute?” Eponine asked as she walked into the room. She had already changed out of her soccer clothes and into a tight green shirt and dark jeans. The outfit clung dangerously to her curves in a way that Enjolras or no other teenager in the room could not help but appreciate. Curiously, apart from her school bag, Eponine was also carrying what appeared to be a box of pastry.

Tholomyes looked at her in surprise. “What can I do for you, Miss Fauchelevent?”

“I have some ideas to help improve the girls’ soccer game next week,” Eponine said brightly as she sauntered to the front of the room. 

“Great!” Tholomyes’ eyes narrowed for a moment. “We’ll talk later.”

Eponine shrugged before glancing at Enjolras just long enough to catch his gaze and make a furtive gesture to the right. When he looked at her quizzically, she mouthed, “The window!” before looking at Tholomyes again.

“You’re still here?” Tholomyes asked her.

“Well it’s urgent. I mean I don’t want to lose the idea before I can actually explain it!” Eponine said as she set down the box on Tholomyes’ desk. “I mean I know there’s a lot going on this training season, and the pressure must be quite _intense_ before the games. You don’t need to be a psychologist to know that!”

“I should hope not,” Tholomyes said, glancing towards the box.

“Yeah it’s common sense, but that isn’t the point.” Eponine held up her hands. “The point is that we always get our asses kicked during the games and I think it’s because we, the team I mean, is too focused.”

Tholomyes raised an eyebrow. “I should think that focus was a good thing, Miss Fauchelevent.”

‘_Not in this case,’ _Enjolras thought as he picked up his bag and began to slink away from his desk and towards the periphery of the room. He would have to go most of the way around before reaching the open window, a feat that was not easy given that the window was rather near Tholomyes’ desk. However, there was the fact that Eponine refused to let up her prattling and was occasionally shifting from side to side to block Tholomyes’ line of sight. ‘_What’s she going to do once I get near the window?’ _he could not help but wonder.

“I mean it is possible to get so focused that they crumble under the stress,” Eponine continued. “And I think we can provide some way to break the tension.”

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Tholomyes asked.

“Shock factor,” Eponine replied, moving slightly to the right. “It’s done all the time in poetry circles, why not apply it to sports?”

“I don’t get what you mean.”

“Oh it’s simple. The game gets all hyped up and just when no one expects it, bang! Everyone is aghast, the tension is broken, and we get a chance to score.”

Tholomyes nodded slowly. “And what sort of shock factor are you suggesting, Miss Fauchelevent?”

“Something like this!” Eponine said, opening the box to reveal a cake in the shape of a scantily clad woman’s torso, complete with jiggling breasts made of icing.

Enjolras had to hold back a snort of laughter even as he cleared the last feet to the window and quickly hurried to the fire escape. ‘_Where on earth did she get that?’ _he wondered as he risked one last peek to watch Eponine quickly leave the room amid the applause of other students. Before Tholomyes could glance out the window, Enjolras clambered quickly down to the lawn, eager now for his next rendezvous. 


	9. Being Mad Herself, She’s Madly Mated

It was just as well that Eponine was not scheduled to come into work that day, owing to having traded another weekend shift with Chowder. ‘_And that there is a bakeshop near school that sells the most ridiculous cakes,’ _she thought bemusedly. Yet more astonishing than these was the fact that she and Enjolras were now in a pedal boat in the middle of the city’s largest park. ‘_Will wonders ever cease?’ _

“I can’t thank you enough for getting me out of detention,” Enjolras said, clearly on the verge of laughter again. “I thought for sure I was busted.”

“Well no one wants to hang around with Mr. Tholomyes all day.” Eponine chuckled as she looked at Enjolras. “Besides I think I supplied him with enough food for the day.”

“Yeah, where did you come across _that_?”

“You’d be surprised what people make in gag shops nowadays,” she said. “Normally it’s for stupid stuff like bachelorette parties anyway.”

“Only for people who watch too much reality TV,” he pointed out, shaking his head. “So, what’s your excuse?”

“For what?”

“For acting the way you do.”

‘_Are we really getting into this?’ _Eponine asked, turning to look at him. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard the foster care sob story yet.”

“Well not straight from the source,” Enjolras pointed out. In the afternoon light he suddenly seemed less stern, more so when he met her eyes. “But there’s more to you than that.”

‘_Well that’s a first,’ _Eponine decided. Normally people simply were more than happy to leave her story as it was. “I didn’t always live with Cosette and Dad. I got bounced around from foster care to my bio parents and back for a while till seventh grade. That’s when the courts decided they had enough. Then they let me stay with my foster parent, and that was basically Dad.”

Hes nodded slowly. “So where did your dad get Cosette?”

“A stork left her on the doorstep,” she quipped. “Well he doesn’t talk about it much, only that he was made Cosette’s guardian when her mother died. That was way before I got there.”

“You seem adjusted to the fact.”

“Adjustment is relative. Were you expecting a juvenile delinquent sob story?”

“No, not at all,” Enjolras said, leaning back to adjust his feet on the pedals.

“Then what were you expecting?”

“I was only wondering why you seem to hold people at arm’s length, when you don’t want to stab them up close.”

Eponine snorted. “I just don’t like acting the way people expect me to do.”

“So you act in a way that throws off expectations, or disappoints them entirely?” Enjolras asked, looking ahead now at the pond.

“You could say that.”

“Well, you failed miserably.”

Eponine raised an eyebrow even as Enjolras looked at her, now with a smirk tugging at his lips. “Excuse me?”

“You never disappointed me.”

Somehow, the earnestness in Enjolras’ voice was enough to have Eponine smiling again. ‘_Never thought it would be easy to talk with him like this,’ _she realized. Even Musichetta had taken a while before getting to the bottom of things, and even then her intuition was sometimes slightly off.

“Have you ever tried live action roleplay?” Enjolras asked after a while.

Somehow this evoked a mental image of Enjolras dressed in a suit of armor, something that Eponine could not help but laugh at. “No, but what about it?” she chuckled.

“Well I know you do tabletop, but obviously suiting up isn’t an option now,” Enjolras said. He gestured to a spot on the opposite side of the pond. “Are you up for that though?”

Eponine looked over to see what appeared to be the entrance to a paint ball course. A group that had just finished a game was busy doffing their paint spattered white suits. “I’ve never tried that before.”

“Very well then,” Enjolras said as they began to pedal towards the shore. In short order they were both suited up with white suits and goggles, each given a large pouch filled with bags of paint, and then sent out onto the course that was filled with different obstacles such as bales of hay, stacks of tires, and large pipes.

‘_Now he is a huge moving target,’ _Eponine thought wickedly as she prepared to fling her first salvo of paint. Before she could do this, she saw a glob of red paint fly in her direction, giving her just enough time to evade it. “Hey!”

“This _is_ paintball—” Enjolras began before he got blue paint smack in the middle of his chest. “Why you—”

“You started it!” Eponine crowed before running off, only to get a splatter of paint on her shoulder. Much to her glee and surprise, Enjolras also ran after her, only that he often failed to dodge the paint that she was lobbing right back at him. Of course, this also meant that she got her fair share of paint all over her suit and even her hair, but in that moment she could not care less.

At one point, she ducked behind a large plexiglass panel, only to see Enjolras also crouching on the other side. Before he could make his move, she jumped up to smash some paint into his hair. “Looks like red suits you,” she laughed as she ran off.

“Oh really?” he called as he chased after her. He grabbed her by her shoulders and wound up tackling her to the ground. “Give up?”

Eponine smirked up at him as she pulled off his goggles. “No way.” As tempting as it was to grab more paint to rub into his hair, the sight of his face just inches from hers was even more mesmerizing. The memory of the last time he had been this close to her, during that party at Dumas’, brought heat to her cheeks so much that she removed her own goggles as well. ‘_Yep, I was right about his eyes.’ _

Enjolras’ face was also flushed as he gingerly touched her cheek. “Ep…”

Eponine leaned in to meet Enjolras halfway as he kissed her, gently at first then with an ardency that nearly took her breath away. She pulled him down on top of her so she could return his kiss, if only for the addictive warmth of his mouth on hers. When they pulled away to catch their breath, they were both smiling. ‘_So this is how it’s supposed to feel like,’ _she realized.

Enjolras grinned as he shifted slightly. “Truce?”

“Says who?” Eponine laughed as she plastered some paint on Enjolras’ hair, making him yelp with surprise before she sprang up to continue their game.

**

Much to Enjolras’ surprise, Eponine did not balk at the idea of their stopping by the community center after they’d both cleaned much of the paint out of their hair. “It can’t be worse than some of the places I lived in,” she explained blasely as they alighted from the bus that took them downtown.

“Like how bad is bad?” Enjolras asked.

“Take your pick: four walls or a roof. We couldn’t have both.”

Enjolras could only nod at the mental picture these words conjured. “So you said your siblings got adopted, then you. If you don’t mind me asking…”

“Our parents should still be in jail, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t,” Eponine cut in. It seemed as if she shuddered at these words. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

He touched Eponine’s arm lightly. “I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“Well it is straight from the source,” she said wryly as they crossed the street to the community center door. “This is where you go after school?”

“On most days.”

“The marches are mainly occasional?”

“You could say that.”

Eponine nodded knowingly. “Well what they say about you at school….jail time?”

“Holding cell for a day before being released with the other protestors for merely disturbing the peace,” Enjolras deadpanned. “That was about a year ago.”

“Hahaha, the others say different.”

“Let them talk. What about choking out the guy in a parking lot?”

Eponine rolled her eyes. “Rumor. The Molotov cocktails?”

“Exaggerated because I don’t believe in destroying property,” Enjolras said, smirking at the fact that this rumor had reached her ears. “Montparnasse’s balls?”

“Fact, but he had it coming. He groped me in the lunch line.”

“Fair enough.”

She laughed and looked at him from head to toe. “The porn career is a lie. I mean that really isn’t something I see you doing!”

He snorted but could not help returning her smile. “Now where did that rumor even come from?”

“Oh wouldn’t you want to know,” Eponine said. She gestured to the door. “So are we going in or not?”

“Of course we are,” Enjolras said, stepping forward to open the door for her. ‘_If there is a God, let Him make everyone sensible today,’ _he thought as they walked in. The community center’s main room was bustling with activity as usual; some of the lady regulars had started up making the evening meal in the corner kitchen, while Feuilly and Combeferre were helping some older men strip old putty from the windows.

Nearest the door, Jehan and Grantaire were regaling some people with stories, but they fell silent on seeing Enjolras and Eponine. “Holy shit,” Grantaire mouthed, grabbing Jehan’s shoulder. “What did we ever do to you, Chief? Why is she here?”

“It’s called just visiting,” Enjolras said tersely.

“My apologies for Capital R,” Jehan said more gallantly. “I’m not sure if you know me from school, Eponine, but I’m Jean Prouvaire. Everyone calls me Jehan or sometimes also Prouvaire,” he said, extending his hand.

“I think I have heard of you. Poetry rival of Dumas?” Eponine replied more candidly, shaking Jehan’s hand.

“Understatement,” Enjolras muttered, remembering now the events at Dumas’ ill fated gathering. “Come on, I’ll show you around,” he told Eponine.

“What’s there to show her around, young man; this is all there is to it!” one of the more grizzled men at a nearby table hollered. “Anyway, it’s nice to see new faces here, young lady.”

Eponine smiled as she took a seat at one of the tables in the middle of the room. “This is a soup kitchen, and also a halfway house?”

“Temporary shelter,” Enjolras explained, sitting next to her. “Of course the heavy stuff like legal aid and community organizing, we students don’t take the brunt of it.”

“Yet,” Eponine pointed out. “I know where this is going in your case.”

“Oh who doesn’t know that at this point. Political science or some pre-law all the way across the country, then on to the top law schools,” Feuilly drawled as he walked up to where Eponine and Enjolras were seated. “Nice to see you here, Miss Fauchelevent.”

“And you are?”

“Feuilly. Senior too, but no we don’t have any classes together.” Feuilly laughed nervously. “I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.”

“I don’t bite,” Eponine retorted. “At least when unprovoked.”

“She’s a scream, isn’t she?” Feuilly said, looking at Enjolras.

“Hey she warned you,” Enjolras deadpanned, knowing all too well what Feuilly was like when he felt a little threatened. He nodded to Combeferre as the latter went to join them. “How’s the window coming along?”

Combeferre grimaced as he held up his reddened hands. “I am not sure if it’s putty or superglue.” He nodded to Eponine. “I’d shake your hand if I still had feeling in mine, Eponine. These guys here call me Combeferre.”

“What’s it with everyone here calling each other by their last names?” Eponine asked. “Unless you all have the same first name or something?”

“Our surnames stand out more,” Jehan quipped.

Amid all of this banter, Enjolras got up to see what his friends had been doing with the window. ‘_I wish I’d gotten to know her before this stupid arrangement with Theodule came up,’ _he thought as he inspected the glasswork. ‘_Then again it’s not as if you had been very friendly with her before that came up.’ _

Before he could ruminate on this further, Eponine was suddenly at his side. “Feeling introverted all of a sudden?” she asked.

“Just taking a look at this,” he said, gesturing to the window.

“I didn’t know you knew how to do that.”

“At least the basics; had to learn at home.”

She nodded slowly. “At least some of your friends aren’t as inane as Joly and Bossuet. Then again that’s probably why you haven’t gone round the bend completely.”

“I’m glad you like them well enough,” Enjolras said. “They aren’t perfect, but they have their redeeming qualities.”

“Ever the optimist.”

“It’s the truth. Holds more water than the rumors we were talking about earlier.”

Eponine looked at him keenly. “Then tell me something that really happened. Something actually real.”

“I do carpentry sometimes.”

“What about something you’ve never told anyone?”

Enjolras met her eyes, seeing for the first time there a mixture of questioning as well as something of a challenge. So many words leapt to his lips, but he had to take a moment to collect himself. “You’re brilliant, kind, and you’re anything but indifferent.”

Eponine’s cheeks reddened slightly. “You mean where you are concerned?”

“You said it, not me,” he pointed out, earning another laugh from her. It was so tempting to kiss her again, if only for the fact that they were not alone in the room. Instead he settled for touching her hand. “What do you say we go to the prom together?”

Her brow furrowed. “Why even go to the prom at all?”

“It might be fun. And it would be very unexpected,” Enjolras pointed out quickly.

Eponine crossed her arms. “I didn’t expect this coming from you of all people. Ever. What’s in it for you?”

“Do I need a motivation to want to be with you?”

“Answer the question, Alexandre.”

Enjolras paused, knowing full well that she had used his given name. “Nothing. There’s nothing in it for me, other than enjoying your company,” he replied, looking her in the face. ‘_And Theodule and his money can go to hell,’ _he thought.

Eponine bit her lip. “There are some things I won’t just do. Out of principle. I think you of all people should understand that.” She glanced at her watch. “I’d better get going.”

“I’ll bring you back to your place,” Enjolras offered.

“What, and give my dad a conniption?” Eponine retorted as she stepped away. “See you at school,” she added over her shoulder as she walked to the door.

Enjolras moved to follow her but was only surprised by Courfeyrac barging in and almost bumping into Eponine on her way out. “What the hell---” Courfeyrac began, sidestepping just in time to avoid a collision. He looked at Enjolras incredulously as the door slammed behind Eponine. “Was that who I think it is?”

“Yeah we were just dropping by,” Enjolras replied.

“And you….” Courfeyrac trailed off. “Pissed her off again….so what now?”

“Forget the deal with Theodule,” Enjolras shot back. “I’m not doing that to her.”

“But we need the funds!”

“We’ll find ways.”

Combeferre cleared his throat. “Now that leaves you free to take her to the prom because you actually want to,” he chimed in. “If you ask me, that’s personality development right there.”

“Well she made herself clear,” Enjolras said, going back to take a seat. “I won’t force the issue with her.”

Jehan and Grantaire exchanged looks. “We could always rig another party to set you up with someone,” Grantaire offered, wiggling his eyebrows.

“That’s enough, Capital R,” Enjolras said sternly.

“Hey, it wouldn’t be so bad to go to prom as a bunch of stags. And that suits us, since we’re all mostly unattached,” Feuilly pointed out.

“Mostly being the operative word,” Courfeyrac said, muffling this with a cough. “But for Pontmercy’s sake, and Cosette, now what?”

“Maybe Eponine will find someone, and then Pontmercy can go with Cosette,” Enjolras said. Still the very thought of Eponine going to the prom with someone else, as unlikely as it was, left a sour taste in his mouth. ‘_But that’s her own choice to make even if it isn’t you,’ _he reminded himself as he stood up to get to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took quite a number of liberties with the scenes in this chapter. But at least we get the fluff in.


	10. And Revel It Bravely as the Best

It did not surprise Marius in the slightest that Cosette would be one of those in their class to be chosen for an English quiz bee. What was unexpected was her acerbic mien during one of their quiz practice sessions. ‘_Perhaps it is the stress?’ _he wondered silently as he pored through a book of poetry trivia questions.

“What form of poetry is Hopkins’ _God’s Grandeur_?” he asked at length, glancing up to meet Cosette’s querulous look.

“A Petrarchan sonnet,” she said, putting down a pencil she had been twirling between her fingers. “Haven’t you got any more questions besides that?”

“Give me a second,” he said, flipping through more pages. “Okay let’s try this one. Complete the verse: ‘_Do not go gentle into that good_….?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you get the answer on Google?”

Marius set down the book. “Cosette, is everything alright?”

Cosette looked right at him as she began to gather up her belongings. “Tell me one thing Marius, are you ever going to ask me out?”

“What?” Marius blurted out until he realized just what Cosette had asked. He quickly snatched up his book bag and followed Cosette to the study hall door. “Cosette, wait up!”

She stopped in her tracks and looked at him from head to toe. “You mean wait for you to stop stringing me along?”

“It isn’t like that,” Marius said, now flustered. ‘_For one thing Enjolras never got back to me as to how anything between him and Eponine is progressing,’ _he thought but that excuse was quickly banished when he met Cosette’s eyes. “I am sorry if I gave you that impression. I haven’t had my head much in the game, but I am going to make it up to you,” Marius said.

“How?”

Marius took a deep breath. “Would you do me the honor of escorting _you_ to the prom?”

Cosette’s jaw dropped. “You and me….?”

“Yeah, but I figure you’ve been asked already?” Marius asked, dropping his tone in case Theodule or one of his cronies was nearby.

“Not asked directly,” Cosette admitted. “And the fact you asked is a plus point for you.”

“So---”

“Yes, I will go with you to the prom.”

If it wasn’t for the fact they were in public, Marius would have leapt for joy, but he settled for nodding enthusiastically at least till it dawned on him what he would actually have to face that evening. “Your dad though, will he allow it?”

Cosette shrugged. “That’s my problem, not yours. I’ll deal with him. Besides you said that my sister had some suitor?”

“Well I have to check on that front,” Marius confessed. “But you sure…”

“I’ll handle Dad, you just worry about getting a suit and a ride,” Cosette said reassuringly. “Besides he didn’t say my sister had to be in a relationship, right?”

“True,” Marius said. “Any color preferences?”

“What for?”

“A corsage.”

Cosette pointed to her pink sundress. “Something close to this. You’ll pick me up at seven thirty then?”

“Will do. See you then,” Marius said, all too aware now of his extremely wide smile. ‘_Let’s hope her dad doesn’t put a damper on this,’ _he prayed silently as he got out his phone to pull up some tuxedo rental rates.

**

As part of her plan, Cosette made sure not to dally after debate training so that she could be home before Jean Valjean cooped himself up in his personal library all night. ‘_Here it goes,’ _she thought as she went to where her adoptive father was cleaning a pair of silver candlesticks in the living room. “Hi Dad, can I discuss something with you?” she asked as she took her favorite seat in a plush armchair.

Jean Valjean looked up briefly. “Sure. What is it?”

Cosette took a deep breath. “It’s about this weekend. You might have heard it’s the prom.”

At this Jean Valjean nearly dropped the candlestick he was polishing. “The prom?” He put down the candlestick carefully and looked at Cosette. “Does Eponine have a date?”

‘_Oh busted,’ _Cosette thought, swallowing hard. “Well no.”

Jean Valjean shut his eyes for a moment, clearly trying to collect himself. “It’s for that flashy boy Theodule Gillenormand isn’t it? I made the rule clear Cosette; if your sister doesn’t have a date, you’re not going,” he finally said more sternly. “End of story.”

Cosette took a deep breath. ‘_No use arguing that he didn’t clearly define the dating thing,’ _she thought; to mention Marius and his friends’ plan would only bring up more trouble. “Dad, can you please take an objective look at this. Eponine is not interested. And there’s me, and I really want to go to the prom.”

“Do you even know what happens at proms?”

“Yes! We’ll dance, we’ll kiss, we’ll head back here. It’s not like in those movies, Dad.”

Jean Valjean raised an eyebrow. “Kissing? Is that all you think it is?”

‘_Here it goes, so I’m going to beat him to the punch,’ _Cosette decided. “I’m not Mom. I know she had me like a good nine months after her prom. I think you raised me and Eponine better than my biological grandparents ever did, wherever they are. It’s not going to be a repeat of that,” she said slowly.

“It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s other people,” Jean Valjean argued.

“Not everyone in this world is a shitty person!”

“I’ve seen the world and I am aware of what goes on here, Cosette. It’s not safe, and I am not letting you stay out that late with a boy, I don’t care how souped up his ride is.”

‘_Who even uses the word ‘souped up’?’ _Cosette thought as she got to her feet and headed up to her room. For a moment she thought of texting Marius to tell him that their plan was off, but she thought the better of it. ‘_It’s still on the weekend, maybe Dad will come around,’ _she told herself.

**

When Eponine returned from her shift at Corinthe, it did not take her long to piece together why Cosette had shut up in her room. ‘_I can’t believe I have to do this now,’ _Eponine thought as she knocked twice on the door of Cosette’s bedroom. “Cosette, it’s me,” she called.

“It’s unlocked,” Cosette said from inside.

Eponine stepped in to find Cosette lying on her bed, still in her school clothes and wearing a headset connected to her phone. ‘_I don’t know how she lives with all this pink,’ _Eponine could not help but think as she looked around all the floral themed drapery of Cosette’s room. Even her bedside lamp was in the shape of a pink daisy. “Hey, off with the earbuds,” she said, gesturing to her own ears.

Cosette rolled her eyes as she took off the earpiece. “What do you want?”

“I know you and Dad talked.” Eponine began as she sat on the windowsill near Cosette’s bed. “And I know you’re pissed that you can’t do things outside of debate just because I’m not into most high school things.”

“So now you care?” Cosette asked acidly as she sat up. “Ponine, I was the only junior to be asked to this year’s prom. But now I can’t go because you don’t feel like it.”

Eponine looked at Cosette for a moment, wondering if there was any way to couch properly what she would have to say next. ‘_May as well be up front, if that’s the only way to get through to her,’ _she decided. The truth weighing on her lips was not something she told even to Musichetta or Enjolras. “Theodule never told you that we actually went out before?”

“Went out, like in your sick fantasies of killing him?”

“No, I mean as in went out in the dating sense. Back in freshman year.”

Cosette’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”

“It was just for a month.”

“But why? You hate him.”

“Not then. I mean he was the only guy in my year who didn’t have it bad with puberty,” Eponine admitted. “But that was then, and it’s different now.”

Cosette nodded slowly. “So what happened?”

“Well…” Eponine trailed off, unsure how to proceed next. The very thought of what she had to say was enough to make her feel slightly ill, more so when for a moment she remembered vividly the feel of Theodule’s relentless hands and mouth. “You can guess.”

Cosette’s eyes widened as she sat up straight. “You did?! No way!”

“It was just once. Right during the worst of that court case with my biological parents. I thought then that everyone was doing it, he seemed to be a nice guy, so why not?” Eponine took a deep breath to collect herself. “Right after it happened, I told him that I didn’t want to do it again because I wasn’t ready for that, and he dumped me. After that I promised myself that I wouldn’t just do things because it was what everyone was doing, and with the notable late exception of Dumas’ party, I’ve stuck to that.”

“So why is it that I never knew this before?” Cosette asked, her brow furrowing.

“Because I told him that if he went around running his mouth, the entire cheerleading squad would know how small his equipment really is,” Eponine said. ‘_And even then he had eyes for them, not for me, so there’s no loss in that,’ _she realized.

Cosette snorted before a questioning look crossed her face. “So why didn’t you tell _me?” _

‘_Would you have believed me?’ _Eponine wanted to ask, but she bit her lip. “I wanted you to make up your mind about him.” 

“How can I ever make up my mind about someone, or anyone, if I don’t get to actually mingle with them? I hardly get to experience anything, Ponine.”

Eponine threw up her hands. “Not all experiences are good, Cosette. You can’t just trust anyone who says pretty things to you.”

“I am not dumb enough to repeat your mistakes,” Cosette said furiously. She went to the door and opened it sharply. “I think we’re done here.”

“Fine.” Eponine stalked out of the room, not even bothering to turn back when Cosette slammed the door. All the same she heard what sounded like a defeated sob from her sister’s room. ‘_Not your best move,’ _she decided as she went to her own room.

Eponine sat at her workstation and surveyed the still unfinished miniatures lined up there. ‘_I have all the time in the world to finish these,’ _she decided. What was one night anyway, especially now that she’d done her duty of telling Cosette what she had to know?

She reached for her phone to send Enjolras a message. ‘_Hi, it’s Eponine. Are you free to take a call?’ _she typed, shutting her eyes before pressing the ‘send’ button.

Unsurprisingly her phone rang a few seconds later. “Hello Ep. What’s going on?” Enjolras asked, sounding surprised on the other end of the line.

Eponine took a deep breath. “Hi Alexandre.” Somehow saying his given name made what she would have to say come more easily to her. “About prom, I’ve got something to tell you….”


	11. Chapter 11: My Tongue Will Tell the Anger of My Heart

This time, Cosette waited for Eponine’s footsteps to fade and for the front door to shut before making her way out of her room. ‘_I hope this is pretty enough,’ _she thought as she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror in the hallway. Her pink two-piece dress, with its satin top and tulle skirt, was a thrift shop find that fortunately did not need any alteration to fit her curves. It was just as well that she already owned a pair of shoes and deep pink necklace to match the attire, and she also had the tools to put her long hair into an updo. ‘_Now just to get downstairs.’ _

As fate would have it, Jean Valjean was already peering out of the living room when she arrived downstairs. “What’s that?” he asked.

Cosette grinned as she stopped in her tracks. “It’s a prom dress.”

Jean Valjean raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been hearing that word a lot lately.”

Cosette laughed nervously even as the doorbell suddenly rang. ‘_Right on time!’ _she thought as she quickly opened the door. She smiled widely as she got a look at Marius dressed in a dark suit, complete with a bowtie. ‘_He cleans up so well!’_

Marius’ eyes widened as he also met her eyes. “Hi Cosette. Oh wow,” he blurted out, clearly at a loss for words.

Behind them, Jean Valjean cleared his throat. “Wait. Stop. Turn. Explain!”

Cosette turned to meet her father’s half-stern, half-disbelieving look. “Okay Dad, remember that rule about me dating if Eponine dated? Well she found this guy who’s really good for her, and that’s great for me because _Marius_ asked me to the prom and I really, really want to go.” She saw Jean Valjean’s eyes widen with surprise, giving her the impetus to continue. “Since she’s going, I guess I’m allowed to now, based on this rule of course.”

Marius extended his hand to shake Jean Valjean’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir.”

Cosette grabbed Marius’ hand. “Come on, let’s go, we’re going to be late!”

“Midnight, okay?” Jean Valjean said, pointing to Cosette. He pointed to Marius. “And remember I know every cop in town.”

Marius nodded before Cosette half-dragged him out the door. “Your dad seemed rather stunned,” he remarked.

“He’ll get over it,” Cosette muttered as they rushed to Marius’ car. Once she buckled herself into the front passenger seat, she saw Marius looking for a box. “What is it?”

“I almost forgot about it; I should have brought it down but I guess it was just as well because it would have been awkward inside,” Marius said as he opened the box to present a single pink carnation arranged with ferns on a dark pink ribbon. “It’s a wristlet, and I didn’t know it would be in the same color as your dress.”

“It’s beautiful,” Cosette said as she extended her left hand to let Marius fasten the corsage around her wrist. ‘_Better than what I was hoping for,’ _she thought as Marius started the car.

After a quick stop at a drive through for some burgers, fries, and soda, the pair headed to the hotel where the prom was already in full swing. The dance floor was already packed with students dancing to the tunes from a live band on the ballroom stage. “I’m going to have to do double takes to recognize anyone here,” Marius joked as they made their way through the crowd.

“It’s good for a change,” Cosette pointed out as they began to dance. She caught sight of some of Marius’ friends, particularly his best buddy Courfeyrac who seemed to have _two_ girls on his arms. After a while she also caught sight of Eponine also dancing with a tall blond who Cosette knew to be Marius’ friend Enjolras. ‘_Glad she’s also having fun,’ _she thought as she slipped her arms around Marius’ shoulders while he kept his hands at her waist. Although neither of them was especially great at dancing, it was enough to sway and bounce to the music much like how everyone else was doing.

After a few songs, Cosette excused herself to the washroom. As she emerged from one of the stalls to wash her hands, she saw Irma Boissy saunter in, also dressed in a slinky gown with her dark hair in an updo. “What are you doing here?” Cosette blurted out.

Irma looked at Cosette from head to toe “Why, did you think you were the only underclassman invited to prom? Theodule picked me up.”

Cosette shrugged. “Well congratulations, he’s all yours.”

“That’s very nice,” Irma said coolly. “But just so you know, my dear, Theodule only liked you for one reason. He’s got a bet going on with his friends.”

“A bet?”

“You didn’t know? He was hoping to get some with you tonight.”

Cosette stared at Irma as these words sunk in, until she felt the bile rise in her throat. “Excuse me,” she murmured as she rushed out of the bathroom.

She took a deep breath as she was greeted with the lively music on the dance floor. ‘_Thank goodness for Marius then,’ _she thought as she made her way back to where her date was talking with some of his friends.

Marius quickly broke away from the group upon seeing here. “Cosette, are you well?” he asked worriedly as he grabbed her hand.

“I’m fine. It was just stuffy in the ladies’ room,” Cosette said, wrinkling her nose for effect. Just then, she saw Theodule on the dance floor, looking from Eponine and Enjolras, and then at her and Marius. ‘_Uh oh…’ _

**

For Cosette’s sake, Eponine thought it would be more prudent to meet Enjolras only at the prom venue. ‘_Never mind the romance,’ _Eponine told herself as she smoothed down her flowing green gown. After all she was only here to give her sister a chance at a good evening.

Yet all thoughts of that swiftly dissipated as she entered the hotel and saw Enjolras waiting at the top of the stairs. ‘_How does he pull off that shade so well?’ _she wondered as she took in the sight of him in a sleek dark red coat and black pants, an ensemble that made his golden curls seem so much brighter. After a moment he turned in her direction, and the smile that crossed his face had her heart pounding harder than before.

They met halfway on the stairwell. “I’m glad you didn’t get a boring tux. Where did you find this?” Eponine greeted.

“Something I had lying around,” Enjolras replied with a grin. “Yours?”

“Oh something I also had lying around,” Eponine replied, looping her arm around his.

“It suits you.” Enjolras brought out a single rose from a pocket and handed it to her. “Ready now for the prom?”

“Now I am,” Eponine said as she tucked the rose into her updo. She took a deep breath as she and Enjolras walked to the ballroom, aware now of some onlookers gaping and whispering among themselves. ‘_They’re not having much fun if they are just standing around doing that,’ _she reminded herself silently.

Her guess was proven right when she and Enjolras entered the ballroom, which was lively with so many couples and groups dancing. She caught sight of Musichetta in a group dance with Joly and Bossuet, and waved to them.

“Hey glad you aren’t being a stranger!” Musichetta called. “You both look good!”

“We need photographic evidence of this!” Bossuet hollered.

“You wish!” Enjolras warned. He took Eponine’s hand. “Dance with me?”

“Of course,” Eponine said, placing her other hand on Enjolras’ shoulder. For a moment she expected that they would simply sway like the other couples on the floor, only to be surprised when she felt Enjolras lead her into a basic cha cha step followed by a spin. “I didn’t know you know ballroom!” she laughed when she was facing him again.

“Had to learn at family parties,” Enjolras said as he led her into another cha cha step. “My cousins’ debuts for one thing.”

“How many cousins do you have?”

“First cousins? Twenty. I’m an only child though.”

‘_How are reunions like for him then?’ _Eponine wondered but she decided against asking him for now. In that moment, all that mattered was the warmth of Enjolras’ hand as he led her through their dance. That was nothing to the way he looked at her especially when their eyes met; it was enough to send a thrill up her spine as they danced heedless of what else was going on the floor.

Suddenly she saw Theodule march up to them and yank Enjolras aside. “Hey what’s going on?” Theodule snarled. “I didn’t pay you to take out Eponine so Cosette could show up here with some cheese stick!”

Eponine turned sharply at these words and looked at Theodule’s angry smirk, then at Enjolras’ shocked face now turning contrite. ‘_Say something damn it!’ _she wanted to scream, but Enjolras’ silence said it all.

“Nothing in it for you, huh?” Eponine spat before turning on her heel to quit the dance floor.

**

Marius had lost track of the dances he and Cosette had before he caught Courfeyrac sidling up to them. “The shit has hitteh the faneth,” Courfeyrac said, pointing to where an irate Theodule was walking away from Enjolras.

‘_I should do something,’ _Marius thought but before he could step in, Courfeyrac was already halfway to the scene. He nodded to Cosette. “Wait here,” he mouthed before hurrying after his friend.

Courfeyrac reached out to clap Theodule’s shoulder. “Hey compadre—” he began before Theodule tripped him, sending him landing hard onto the floor.

Marius turned to help Courfeyrac up when he felt Theodule shove his back. “You’ve crossed the line. Now you’re going to pay. You _and_ that little bitch!” Theodule threatened.

The words were like fire on Marius’ ears as he turned to face his cousin. “That’s it. You’ve crossed the line!” he retorted. Before he could say anything further he was caught up short by Theodule punching him in the face, sending him to the floor.

“Oh come on!” Theodule taunted even as Marius tried to get up. Before Marius could get his bearings, someone tapped Theodule’s back. As Theodule turned, he was met by Cosette’s fist connecting exactly with his nose.

Theodule reeled back in shock. “Shit, Cosette! I’m doing another shoot tomorrow!”

“That’s for making my date bleed!” Cosette shouted before punching him again. “That’s for my sister!” She kneed him in his groin. “And _that’s_ for me,” she finished before shoving Theodule to the floor.

In a moment Marius felt Cosette helping him up even as nearby one of Courfeyrac’s dates pulled him to his feet. “Are you okay?” Cosette asked worriedly as she held his face in her soft hands.

Despite the pain now ebbing in his face, Marius could not help but smile. “Never been better,” he said. This time he leaned in to meet Cosette halfway in a kiss, heedless of the music and murmurs all around them.

**

Despite all of Enjolras’ efforts, Eponine was already at the foyer by the time he caught up to her. “Ep, I can explain—” he began, reaching to grab her arm.

Eponine wrested her wrist away from him even as she turned to face him fully. “You were paid to take me out? And by the one person I truly hate?” she hissed, her eyes full of rage and hurt.

“Yes, but it didn’t end up like that!”

“Oh really, what was it? A downpayment for taking me out and then a bonus if you got to fuck me?”

It was all that Enjolras could do not to wince at these words. ‘_I never wanted that with her, not in those terms at least,’ _he told himself. Yet what good could such words do against her unbridled fury. “I didn’t care about the money,” he said.

“So what then? Your reputation? Maybe losing your virginity?” Eponine seethed.

“Not that!” Enjolras took a deep breath, willing himself to look her right in the face. It was now or never. “I care about you.”

For a moment Eponine’s eyes softened as she took in this confession, only to be replaced with that steeliness he knew all too well. “I thought better of you,” she murmured before turning to leave.

Enjolras reached for her but she pushed him away before running down the stairs and out the door. ‘_You’re never going to get her back, not this time,’ _he thought miserably as he watched her leave. Suddenly he heard a step from behind him. “Not now, Courfeyrac,” he said.

“No, I’m not Courfeyrac.” Cosette came forward with Marius in tow. “You didn’t know?”

“Didn’t know what?”

“Why she hates Theodule so much, I mean.”

Enjolras shook his head. “Not in so much detail.” He noticed that Marius’ face seemed rather red with a shiner. “What happened there?”

“Theodule, but that’s the least of my problems,” Marius said.

Cosette took a deep breath. “I don’t think Ponine told you, but there is something you should know…”


End file.
